MONTREAL – Charlene Robitaille scored 16.5 points and Audrey Trottier recorded her 1,000th career assist as McGill rallied to defeat the upstart UQTR Patriotes 3-2 in women’s volleyball at Love Competition Hall, Sunday.
The result gave McGill a three-game season sweep over the last-place Patriotes, who dropped to 2-13. The Pats appeared to have McGill (10-5) on the ropes several times but like a wily boxer, the Martlets bobbed and weaved their way back into the fight and saved the knockout punch for the last round. The set scores were 21-25, 25-20, 21-25, 25-21 and 15-9.
UQTR led in kills (51-46) and digs (72-65) but McGill had the edge in service aces (11-8) and stuff blocks (10-3).
Robitaille, a fifth-year senior from St. Jean, Que., scored her points on the strength of 10 kills, four aces and 2.5 blocks. She added nine digs on defence with a pair of assists.
Trottier, a senior from Longueuil, Que., had a bittersweet day. She was injured in the pre-game warmup when accidentally struck in the face by a hard-hit ball. A physical therapy major who returned this season after graduating in only three years with a science degree, Trottier started at setter and registered seven assists and two digs but was removed from the game for medical reasons in the second set and did not return although she remained on the bench.
With 1,003 career helpers, Trottier is only the fourth player in team history to reach the 1,000-assist plateau and has accomplished that feat in just her third year of eligibility. Others to reach that milestone all played five seasons and include Shauna Forster (1997-2002; one season as a middle blocker, four as a setter), MarcelaMansure (2008-2013) and Yasmeen Dawoodjee (2011-2016).
Trottier was replaced at the setter position by freshman Charlotte Chouinard-Laliberte, who put up an impressive tally of 30 assists to go along with three kills, a pair of aces, six digs and one assisted block.
Teammates Victoria Iannotti of St. Laurent, Que., and Clara Poire of Blainville, Que., also reached double digits for McGill. Iannotti contributed 15 points on 13 kills, one ace and three assisted blocks. She added nine digs and three assists. Poire had 13.5 points on 10 digs, two aces and 1.5 blocks, in addition to nine digs and one assist.
The Patriotes were led by Laurence Flamand, who amassed 21.5 points on offence and 20 digs on defence. Other leading scorers were Alissa Veilleux (17.5 pts) and Ophelie Pageau (12.5).
With three games remaining before playoffs, McGill is tied for second-place with the Montreal Carabins. Both teams are 10-5 and McGill holds the head-to-head tie-breaker. The Martlets still have an outside chance of catching division-leading UQAM (12-4), which only has two games remaining, including the season finale at McGill on Feb. 17. Before then, the Martlets play at Laval (8-7) on Feb. 10 before hosting Sherbrooke (7-8) on Feb. 12.
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