Martlet Volleyball

                The average McGill student is probably skeptical about going to see a Martlet volleyball game. For most of us, the word “volleyball” brings back memories of high school gym class where 50% of serves went into the net, no one ever moved and the longest rallies lasted about 5 seconds. Volleyball, for many, spells boredom. If you are one of these non-believers, I would highly recommend going to check out a varsity game. Two points in and you will quickly realize that there is much more to the sport than planted feet and uselessly flailing arms.

After witnessing the events of the recent Martlet Invitational Volleyball Tournament, it’s safe to say that McGill has a very strong team this year. They have a good mix of veterans and rookies who have a ton of chemistry on the court. The team has height, great serves, excellent setters and an experienced, successful, kind and knowledgeable coach. Their digs are often spectacular, superhuman dive-rolls that defy the laws of physics. And, most importantly, they all appear to be genuinely enjoying themselves on the court.

The Martlets managed to play their way to a third place finish in the tournament despite injuries to some of their top players, including their starting setter. They beat their division rivals from Universite de Montreal in three straight sets to win the bronze medal game, while St Mary’s University edged out Dalhousie in the finals. McGill played both St Mary’s and Dalhousie earlier in the tournament, managing to beat Dal 3-1 and coming very close to upsetting St Mary’s in a 3-2 loss. They showed poise, confidence and depth in their roster, with rookies stepping up to fill in for injured vets. It was an inspiring effort from all players and truly a pleasure to watch.

The Martlets will kick off the regular season with a home game against Universite de Montreal at 7pm on October 28^th. These teams have a lot of history and Montreal will be looking to redeem themselves after their semi-final loss. The game promises to be action-packed and most likely very close. If you think volleyball is a lazy person’s sport and that girls can’t spike the ball, you need to come to this game and witness the high level of skill and athleticism that is sure to be on display.

See you there!

- Martlet Girl