WATERLOO – With a four set road victory over the Waterloo Warriors on Saturday night, the No. 2 nationally ranked Brock Badgers women’s volleyball team took back top spot in the OUA standings. Set scores in the match were 25-21, 25-20, 20-25, 25-14.
Entering the weekend, the OUA saw a log-jam of teams at the top of the standings include Brock, Waterloo, Western and McMaster. However, the crucial late season win over the Warriors elevated the Badgers back in front of the pack with a 14-2 record, placing them ahead of the trio of others who all have three losses now on the season.
In the Saturday night showdown, Waterloo opened the evening with a lot of confidence as they appeared to be keyed in on the offensive strategies of the Badgers resulting in several early blocks for the home side. Noting strong defensive approach of the Warriors, Brock head coach Steve Delaney and veteran setter Sara Rohr gathered during a timeout late in the first set to re-strategize, setting up a Badgers attack that from that point on proved to be too versatile for Waterloo to continue to key in on. With the shift, Rohr went on to finish the night with 48 assists, marking her ninth match this season with 30 or more assists.
The beneficiary of the shift in tactics for the Badgers proved to be a compliment of weapons as Madison Chimienti, Sadie Dick, Laurin Ainsworth, and Grace Pyatt score 16.5, 15.5, 13.5, and 12 points each. For Chimienti, the second-year left side tallied a game-high 15 kills, adding one service ace and one block assist. Meanwhile on the right side Dick scored 12 kills, one ace, one solo block, and three block assists.
Defensively, Brock also out-shined their opponents tallying 10 more digs that Waterloo on the night, led by 15 from Chimienti, 13 saves from libero Aleiah Torres, and 11 from Rohr herself.
For the Warriors, Karen Fan was the top performer finishing with 14.5 points from 11 kills, one service ace, one solo block and three block assists.
The Badgers will continue to look to lock down first place with four matches remaining in the regular season schedule, next facing the Queen’s Gaels in a back-to-back doubleheader at Bob Davis Gym next weekend. First serve in the opening contest on Friday, Feb. 10 is set for 6 p.m. Tickets for the home games can be purchased on University Tickets, while the action is also streamed online via OUA.tv.
BADGERS AT A GLANCE
Overall Record: 21-2 (W-L)
Conference Record: 14-2
Next match: Friday, Feb. 10 vs Queen’s Gaels – 6 p.m. – Bob Davis Gymnasium