GEE-GEES WIN OUA WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

LONDON, Ont. – For the first time since 1986, the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees are Ontario University Athletics (OUA) women's volleyball champions. The Gee-Gees swept aside the McMaster Marauders (25-20, 25-19, 25-16) in the gold medal contest Saturday night at Alumni Hall in London to advance to next weekend's Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) championship in Calgary, Alberta.

"We were unbelievable tonight," said Gee-Gees head coach Lionel Woods. "We played our best match of the season, absolutely nothing went wrong."

Christine Lamey (Kanata, Ont.) had a game high 12-points and 13-digs, while Karine Gagnon (Granby, Que.) added eight points to go along with 10-digs in the victory. Stephanie Gilmour led all Marauder players with six points.

Ottawa got up early in the first set leading 21-12, before the Marauders rallied to cut the lead to 24-20. Kirsten Brouse recorded the set clinching point with a kill from the left side of the court to give the Gee-Gees the opening game.

The two teams went back and forth up until the second technical timeout in game two before Ottawa rallied off five of the six points coming out of the break timeout to take the second set 25-19.

"When we won the second game, there was no let down, the girls were not going to let McMaster get back into the contest," added Woods.

The Gee-Gees jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the third set and never looked back en route to the first conference title in 21-years.

Ottawa will advance to the national final for the first time since 1987, when they finished sixth at the tournament in Winnipeg.

The Gee-Gees will now face Laval in the #1 Quarter-final match on Thursday March 1 at 12:00 pm.

The OUA Women's Volleyball Final Four was brought to you by belairdirect, Wilson and Pizza Pizza as the official sponsors of the championship.

Thursday, March 1

12:00 Quarter-final #1: No. 2 Laval vs. No. 7 Ottawa
14:00 Quarter-final #2: No. 3 Manitoba vs. No. 6 Trinity Western
17:00 Quarter-final #3: No. 1 Alberta vs. No. 8 Saint Mary's
19:00 Quarter-final #4: No. 4 Montreal vs. No. 5 Calgary

Friday, March 2

12:00 Consolation #1
14:00 Consolation #2
17:00 Semi-final #1
19:00 Semi-final #2

Saturday, March 3

9:00 5th place
11:00 Bronze medal
14:30 Championship final (live on The Score)