Second-year Laila Johnston led the Alberta Pandas to a 3-0 (25-19, 25-20, 25-22) victory in the second quarterfinal in Burridge Gymnasium on Day 1 of the 2024 U SPORTS Women’s Volleyball Championship. Johnston, an outside hitter, recorded nine kills and nine digs as the Pandas earned the victory to advance to Saturday’s national semifinal.
Alberta battled against the Carabins, winning the first two sets by six and five points respectively. Montréal kept things close in the third, but the Pandas pulled away and took the final set by a 25-22 scoreline.
Third-year setter, Justine Kolody, recorded 23 assists and six digs in the victory. The Carabins’ Olympe Desmedt, a 2024 U SPORTS First Team All-Canadian, tallied 14 kills in the contest.
Alberta, the 2024 Canada West Bronze Medalists, recorded a .213 hitting percentage while the RSEQ Champions posted a percentage of .124.
The win sends the Alberta Pandas to Semifinal #1 on Saturday March 16th at 6pm ET where they will face the #1 seed – the Manitoba Bisons. The Montréal Carabins drop to the consolation bracket and will face the Saint Mary’s Huskies in consolation Semifinal #1 at 12pm ET on Saturday.
Mikasa Players of the Game
- Montréal Carabins: Olympe Desmedt
- Alberta Pandas: Laila Johnston
This article is shared as part of our Fair Dealing Policy. For the original article, please visit: https://usports.ca/en/sports/volleyball/f/news/2024/03/3649253727/no-3-alberta-sweeps-montreal-advances-to-semifinals
