Falcons Fall to the Golden Shield in a Thrilling 5-Set Match

(London, Ontario) – The Fanshawe Women's Volleyball team (0-8) dropped a hard-fought match to the Cambrian Golden Shield (4-6) Saturday afternoon at the Glenn Johnston Athletic Centre.

Sammie Gibson (London, ON) recorded a kill to put the Birds up 2-1 early on. Ally Taylor (Regina, SK) set Taryn Elgersma (London, ON) in the back row who slammed a beautiful spike at the feet of Fanshawe's opponents. The Birds were on a roll. Hannah Onyema (St. Thomas, ON) served an ace and Elgersma smashed her second kill of the match to increase Fanshawe's lead to four. Grace McLean (Dorchester, ON) also added to the Birds' advantage with a dominant middle block. Later, Cambrian began to fight back and took the lead. To tie things up at 10, Charlee Akehurst (Kitchener, ON) added a kill to her stat line. Taylor gained three consecutive points for the Falcons after recording a setter dump and two forceful kills. Down 22-18, Fanshawe's Akehurst slammed a kill and followed with an ace on the next play. Ultimately, the Golden Shield took the first set 25-22.

Gibson opened the second set with a block to set the tone for the Falcons. Another block by Onyema would put the Birds up 4-2. Team hustle plays and kills by Elgersma and McLean would give Fanshawe a comfortable lead. Gibson recorded another block to extend the Birds' 17-9 lead. Cambrian battled back and brought the score to 20-17, but Fanshawe pushed through and won set two 25-19.

A McLean kill kicked off the third set of the match, but the visitors took an early lead. Down 7-3, Onyema added one to the home score after executing a powerful block. McLean followed with two more kills and the score was brought to 8-7 in Cambrian's favour. Later, Onyema made a stellar spike which hyped up the crowd. Despite Fanshawe's effort, they fell 25-14 in set three.

In the fourth set, Gibson recorded back-to-back kills to tie the match at 2-2. An Onyema block gave the Birds a 5-3 advantage and a Gibson ace extended their lead by four points. A kill by Akehurst set the score to 15-9 for the Falcons. Furthering the dominant play by the Falcons, Onyema recorded another block. Up 23-17, Akehurst added a point for the Birds. A kill by Onyema would force the fifth set of the match as the Falcons took set four 25-19.

Cambrian came charging out the gates with a 3-1 lead in set five. A kill by Elgersma and a block by McLean would keep the Birds close. Down 8-5, Akehurst recorded a crucial kill and Elgersma recorded another kill on the following play. As the score stood at 8-11, Gibson blocked a Cambrian hit to add another point for the Falcons and Onyema increased Fanshawe's score with a strategic tip. Unfortunately, the visitors took the final set 15-12.

The second afternoon of the Falcons' back-to-back matches will be played at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 26 at home against Boreal (1-9).