GUELPH, ON - The Guelph Gryphons women's volleyball team seem to be settling into their new home just fine. On Saturday afternoon at the new Guelph Gryphons Athletics Centre, the Gryphons defeated the No. 10-ranked McMaster Marauders 3-sets-to-1. Set scores were 17-25, 25-21, 25-23 & 27-25. With the win, the Gryphons improve to 6-4 on the season and improve to 2-0 on their new home court following a win over Brock a week ago. The Marauders meanwhile, who started the season 7-0, have now dropped back-to-back matches (at Western & at Guelph) and sit at 7-2 on the season.



















Saturday's result for the Gryphons was impressive. The way they started the match however, was not. It was all Mac early on, with the Marauders not only taking the opening set in convincing fashion (17-25), but also jumping out to a 5-1 lead in the 2nd set. After the disappointing start, the Gryphons looked like a different team, winning each of the next three sets while producing some of their best volleyball of the season. A pair of Gryphon rookies stepped up with Alexandra Curran setting up Michaela Hellinga for a big kill following the technical timeout in the 2nd set to give the Gryphs a three point cushion. Curran, a rookie setter out of Aurora, did an excellent job distributing the ball all game long and finished the afternoon with 40 assists, while Hellinga, a rookie left side from Guelph, finished the day with a career-high 16 points (11 kills, 4 blocks, 3 aces).

While the rookies certainly impressed on Saturday, the Gryphs also received terrific leadership from several of the veterans on the team. Third year left side Victoria Golebiowski and fourth year left side Maddie Dedecker were both clutch all afternoon and were instrumental in helping the Gryphs close out the match. After the Gryphons took the 3rd set 25-23, the 4th set featured several lead changes and long rallies, with Dedecker and Golebiowski making their impacts felt both on the attack as well as at the net. Dedecker finished the game with 15 points and 12 digs, while Golebiowski racked up 14.5 points and 19 digs.



















The win on Saturday pushes the Gryphons win streak to four in a row. After starting the season 1-3, the Gryphs have now won five of six and sit alone in 3rd in the OUA West Division standings, just two points behind McMaster. 

The Gryphons now face the challenge of trying to sustain this momentum with a long layoff upcoming. The Gryphs have the following week off, with their next game coming on Saturday, Jan. 28 when they host the York Lions. That game versus York marks the first of back-to-back home games, with the Nipissing Lakers set to visit the Guelph Gryphons Athletics Centre on Sunday, Jan. 29. 


now have a week off before returning to action on Saturday Jan. 28 & Sunday, Jan. 29. T