OSHAWA, Ont. - The Durham College women's volleyball team won both matches in their northern road trip this weekend, defeating the Georgian Grizzlies and Canadore Panthers.
On Saturday, the Lords battled through a tense five-set thriller on the road, taking down the Georgian Grizzlies 3-2 in Barrie.
Durham came out strong in the opening set, winning 25-16, before dropping the second 27-25. Both sides continued trading off wins, forcing a fifth and final set.
The Lords regrouped when it mattered most, closing out the match 15-11 to secure the road victory and stay hot early in the OCAA season.
Kya Gordon delivered nine kills to go with 13 digs and two aces, while Jessie Buck was dominant at the net with 10 kills on a .600 hitting percentage, adding two aces and a solo block for 13 points.
Elizabeth McFarland matched Buck with 10 kills of her own and led all players with 22 digs in an all-around performance that set the tone defensively. Veronika Cavojska was a force from the service line with a match-best seven aces, finishing with 11 total points.
Setter Brooke Young ran the Durham offence efficiently, tallying 40 assists while contributing four points, including a block and three aces. Chelsea Oke and Lyndsay Boon chipped in with timely offence and strong play at the net with Oke recording five kills and a block, and Boon adding three kills with two solo blocks.
Defensively, Jayde Smyth anchored the backcourt with 16 digs, helping the Lords fend off Georgian's extended rallies.
As a team, Durham hit .246 with 44 kills, 17 service aces, and 72 digs while holding Georgian to just .086 hitting.
The Lords closed out their northern road trip in dominant fashion on Sunday, sweeping the Canadore Panthers 3-0 in North Bay. The Lords controlled every aspect of the match from the opening serve, taking the sets 25-13, 25-8, and 25-13 to secure a decisive straight-sets victory.
Young became Durham College's all-time leader in career assists in women's volleyball, adding 17 more to her total to reach 1,300, breaking Megan Romain's previous record of 1,295.
Gordon led the charge with a game-high 14 points, recording eight kills, five aces, and a solo block on an efficient .333 hitting percentage. Elizabeth McFarland was strong on both ends of the floor, finishing with seven kills, three blocks, and six digs for 11 points.
Cavojska added to the balanced effort with three kills, two aces, and a pair of blocks while Jayde Smyth anchored the defence with seven digs.
As a team, Durham hit .345 with 26 total kills, 11 service aces, and nine blocks while limiting Canadore to just 13 points in two of the three sets.
The Lords will return to action in King City on Wednesday, November 5 against the Seneca Sting at 6:00 PM.
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