By Reegan MacAulay
All Holland Hurricanes winter programs were on the court and track this past weekend, both at the McMillan Centre for Community Engagement (MCCE) in Charlottetown, P.E.I., and on the road in Nova Scotia.
Headlining the weekend, the women’s volleyball team remains red-hot, the men’s volleyball squad delivered an outstanding “Senior Game” performance in front of their home crowd, and the men’s basketball team took down a nationally ranked opponent.
Here is everything that occurred on Saturday, Feb. 7, and Sunday, Feb. 8, in ‘Canes Country.
Women’s Volleyball
The women’s volleyball Hurricanes extended their win streak to four games and remain perfect in February following back-to-back straight-set sweeps at home and on the road.
Holland visited the Mount Saint Vincent Mystics on Saturday in Halifax, N.S. Not only did the Hurricanes shut them out in the match, but they swept the entire regular-season series against the Mystics. Despite the overall score, MSVU put up a strong fight and produced some good runs, but Holland responded with brutal force each time. The set scores were 25-18, 25-17, and 25-16.
The following day, the Hurricanes hosted the Université de Saint-Anne Dragons at the MCCE for their final home-court game. While the Dragons kept Holland at bay in the first set, losing just 25-21, the Hurricanes dominated the rest of the way, taking the second and third sets 25-13.
Jenna O’Neill led Holland over the weekend with 24 kills and 22 digs, including 12 kills and 13 digs in her final performance at the MCCE. Fellow seniors Jamie Spencer, Morgan Hoskins, Mason Babey, and Samantha Payne joined her in finishing the home portion of their ACAA careers, each contributing to the score sheet in some capacity.
Following the weekend, the Hurricanes improved to 12-6 and are now two points away from possibly stealing a bye into the Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association (ACAA) postseason semifinals. They’ll wrap up their regular-season campaign next weekend – Feb. 14-15 – on the road against the Dalhousie Rams.
Connect with the women’s volleyball Hurricanes at www.instagram.com/caneswvball.
Men’s Volleyball
The men’s volleyball Hurricanes split their final home-court regular-season doubleheader against the second-ranked USTA Dragons, notably closing out the home portion of their regular-season campaign with a 3-2 upset victory.
After a hard-fought effort in Saturday’s match, a 3-0 loss, the Hurricanes returned on Sunday and gave their fans one last memorable home-court thrill with a storybook ending, which was rewarded with an ACAA playoff spot.
Holland came close to winning Sunday’s game in four sets, but USTA got the upper hand in an intense fourth set. In the fifth and final set of the game, the last for men’s volleyball at the MCCE this season, Carson Gray and Zachary Warren came flying out of the gates with a combined 11 kills, and the Hurricanes capitalized on several errors by the Dragons en route to a 15-11 set win.
Carson Gray led the weekend effort, highlighted by a 24-kill, 10-dig performance in Sunday’s game. Brett MacAusland recorded 21 kills and five blocks, Zachary Warren logged 24 kills and 11 digs, and Tyler McBride was a strong offensive driver with 52 assists.
Liam Galway, Connor Daniels, Joey Horne, and Nathan Baker were each recognized as seniors ahead of Sunday’s match, with Galway and Daniels playing key roles in Holland’s triumph over USTA.
While the Hurricanes are going to the playoffs, they control their own destiny for one more potential reward – third place. They’ll attempt to leapfrog UNBSJ during their regular-season doubleheader finale next weekend on the road against the winless Dalhousie Rams.
Connect with the men’s volleyball Hurricanes at www.instagram.com/canesmvball.
Women’s Basketball
The women’s basketball Hurricanes remain on a skid after dropping two games to the Mount Saint Vincent Mystics on Saturday and Sunday at the MCCE.
The Mystics jumped out to a quick 10-0 lead on Saturday and kept Holland scoreless for over three minutes. The Hurricanes closed the gap and tied things up 16-16, but from there, MSVU kept a safe distance through halftime and the remainder of the match, ultimately winning 86-70.
Like on Saturday, the Hurricanes kept close to the Mystics early in Sunday’s game, but the gap drastically widened by halftime. A 23-9 third quarter in favour of MSVU was the dagger for Holland, who came up short 91-60.
Nadia Barrington led the Hurricanes over the weekend with 23 points, 11 field goals on 16 attempts, and 14 rebounds while averaging 22 minutes on the court.
Holland drops to 9-5 and is now tied for third in the conference with Mount Allison, one game in hand.
The Hurricanes head to Fredericton, N.B., next weekend to challenge the St. Thomas Tommies.
Connect with the women’s basketball ‘Canes at www.instagram.com/hurricanesbball.
Men’s Basketball
The men’s basketball Hurricanes took one of two games in their home-court weekend series against the nationally-ranked Mount Saint Vincent Mystics, snapping MSVU’s 12-game unbeaten streak and clinching a playoff spot in the process.
While both matches featured tight final scores, the Mystics came out on top on Saturday in a close battle, 95-85, and the Hurricanes both stunned them and avoided a late scare on Sunday.
In three of the four quarters on Saturday, Holland was outscored by MSVU by one, with the third quarter being the decider – the Mystics outproduced the Hurricanes 31-24.
Holland had a brilliant start on Sunday, going up 26-12 after one quarter. MSVU kept the pace closer through the next two quarters, but was down by 21 after three. That deficit was cut to 10 with over five minutes remaining in the game, seven with 1:39 left, and six with 1:23 to go after a Mystics dunk. Luckily, a series of successful free throws by Spencer Rossiter, Zachary Dawkins, and Dorrell Bedminster in the final minute surged Holland to an 87-75 upset victory.
Quinton Martin led the Hurricanes on Saturday with 25 points, 10 field goals on 22 attempts, and four successful free throws. Rossiter and Dawkins combined for 42 points, 14 field goals on 25 tries, seven three-pointers, 13 rebounds, and five assists on Sunday.
Holland is now tied with Crandall for fourth in the standings, each with 6-8 records and 12 points.
The men will join the women in Fredericton, N.B., next weekend to take on the St. Thomas Tommies.
Connect with the men’s basketball Hurricanes at www.instagram.co/hurricanesbball.
Track & Field
Several members of the track and field Hurricanes met in Halifax, N.S., this past weekend for the SMU Open at the Canada Games Centre.
Emilie Doucette ran a 5:35.58 in the women’s 1500m, finishing 17th overall and ahead of three Acadia Axewomen runners, and posting a personal-best time.
Ben Perrin, the reigning Hurricanes Male Athlete of the Week, ran a 9:38.04 in the men’s 3000m, finishing 14th overall. He held well with UPEI’s Matthew Young with an impressive pace for most of the race.
Luke Potter participated in the men’s 1500m, going out hard on the heels of UPEI’s Jake Chapman and holding strong on his tail for five laps, ultimately losing ground on the last two. Potter clocked in a 5:03.43, a personal best, nine seconds behind Chapman.
Following that race, Potter tested his speed in the men’s 200m dash, logging a 27.56 for a second personal best.
Connect with the track and field Hurricanes at https://www.instagram.com/hctrackclub/.
Connect with the Holland Hurricanes at www.hollandhurricanes.com, www.facebook.com/hollandhurricanes, www.x.com/hc_hurricanes and www.instagram.com/hollandhurricanes.
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