Pao Ming Lee named OCAA women’s volleyball athlete of the week
Having last played 11 days prior, George Brown’s women’s volleyball team had a built-in excuse heading into their Nov. 13 home game. Rather than succumb to rust, the Huskies implemented what they worked on during the long layoff, resulting in a 3-1 victory over the Canadore Panthers.
The rust wasn’t completely absent, however. Intensity and serving errors combined to make for a tight first set, one in which George Brown claimed a 25-23 edge. Canadore then came out flying in the second, building a lead the home side was unable to overcome. But George Brown translated its second set pushback into momentum which won the next two sets and, by extension, the game.
“Pre-game, we talked about their belief in themselves and belief in the team, and the end result was the W that we got,” said Huskies assistant coach Lesley Lovell.
For middle-outside hitter Liz Malatestinic, the win was a matter of not wilting under pressure.
“I think today was mostly about fighting back,” said Malatestinic. “We usually get pushed on and then let go, but today we really stuck with it and let it all out.”
According to Huskies middle blocker Julia Vit, the number of shanks (wild, unplayable passes to teammates) committed by Huskies players in previous games had resulted in the team not passing at all. Unsurprisingly, it was a focus during the team’s prolonged stretch between games, and the results showed.
“We saw the opportunity with the matches that we’ve been in that, if our passing was on point and our service was strong, we’d come out ahead,” said Lovell. “That was definitely what we saw today from our girls.”
After playing a key role in George Brown’s first win of the season, Huskies middle hitter Pao Ming Lee was named the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association’s women’s volleyball athlete of the week. The second-year baking and pastry arts management student led her team with 18 points, 17 digs and six serving aces.
The Huskies now go on the road, an overnight Ottawa road trip which sees them play the Algonquin Thunder (5-1) tonight at 6:00 p.m., followed by the La Cite Coyotes (0-6) tomorrow afternoon at 1:00 p.m.
“Lots of rest the night before, definitely, and sleeping on the bus,” said Vit on how to prepare. “Algonquin and La Cite are good teams, so I think we have to up our level for the next game, but I’m excited for it.”
