TORONTO – Put simply, Friday night was a night to remember at the Mattamy Athletic Centre.
On an evening that seen the Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold women’s volleyball team honour their five graduating players — Katelyn Grasman, Alicia Lam, Jyoti Ruparell, Julie Moore and Bethany Smith — seniors stole the show in the fifth-and-final set to help the Bold pick up a thrilling 3-2 (25-16, 25-22, 11-25, 22-25, 14-16) win.
“I don’t think I could’ve imagined a more exciting, perfect senior night,” said Grasman. “I said to the girls during the game, ‘This is why we play — for moments like these.’ I cannot imagine a more perfect way to end my five years here at the MAC.”
“To see our seniors go out and do that — to play like that — was exactly what we wanted. It was a storybook ending for their last games at the MAC,” said Bold assistant coach Brett Hagarty.
After picking up the opening two sets of the evening, momentum swung with the Marauders forcing five, before ultimately taking a 14-11 lead to set up match point.
But the Bold refused to go away. A Scarlett Gingera led to Lam stepping on serve and rallying off four-straight-points, including a perfect swing that clipped the top of the net and fell to set up a match point of their own for TMU.
“I think my heart dropped into my stomach (when watching that),” said Grasman.
“I was just praying to the senior gods that they were going to put the ball over the net,” said Lam.
Luckily for Lam and the Bold — the prayers were answered as the service ace led kept the Oakville, Ont. product on service. From there, Mary Rioflorido set up Gingera, who connected for her career-high 18th kill to bring the home crowd to its feet and the sideline of the Bold into a mad dash onto the court for one of the scenes of the season.
“We believed and we played every single point for what it was,” said Hagarty. “They just refused to lose. Sometimes that is enough to carry you through and it was tonight.”
Four of the graduates in Lam, Smith, Grasman and Ruparell all played roles for the Bold in the final frame.
The win in the regular-season finale moved the Bold to 12-8, after they picked up their second victory of the season over the Marauders.
“It’s always positive to end on a win. I’m just really proud of every single person on my team for this win. It’s really huge for us. I think it was a big group effort and we just rallied so hard,” said Grasman. “Vibes are high.”
“I think it’s exactly what you want going into the playoffs. It reignited our competitiveness. That belief that we’re talking about — we actually did it. It puts us in a place where we exactly want to be — confident, believing in our systems — heading into the playoffs,” said Hagarty.
While much of the focus on the night, and deservedly so, was on the five graduates and their contributions to the program, Gingera made it known that the future is in good hands. The second-year outside hitter swung at a .286 clip, while six of her 18 kills came in the fifth set to power the Bold to the win.
“Scarlet — ice in her veins, man,” said Hagarty. “At the end of that set, she wanted the ball, and she knew she was gonna kill it. Alicia was comfortable giving it to her and put her in great positions to do so. That’s exactly what you want out of your left sides and she handled the pressure amazingly.”
On a night where Lam dished 33 assists, it was easy for the 2018 OUA Champion to reflect back on and compare tonight’s win to the program’s victory nearly five years ago over the Marauders program to claim the conference crown.
“To end the point with all our seniors on the court and to have all those memories — the last time it’s been like that was when we won the OUA in my first year,” said Lam. “It was an amazing feeling. It just felt like the crowd was there, the energy, the coaches — just everyone on the team was ecstatic. It was great.”
“It feels like a storybook ending.”
Now the Bold will attempt to rewrite another chapter in a season that can already be heralded as a tremendous success. After a difficult 3-10 season a year ago, TMU finished four wins over .500 and are back in the postseason.
The program will find out their opponent later this weekend as the rest of the conference wraps up their respective regular season play.
“No matter who we play, it’s going to be super tough. Our league is really good this year,” said Grasman
Quarter-final action in the OUA is set to take place on Saturday, Feb. 25.
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