Strong Finish to 2018-19 Season Leaves Tommies Optimistic
Following a season that saw the St. Thomas Tommies women’s volleyball team make a trip to the ACAA finals, the team came out in the 2018-19 season with a rough start.
Beginning the season 1-5 the young Tommies found their form in the second half of the season, closing out the regular season 8-2 in their final ten games.
“We started slowly, with six rookies who kept improving,” said head coach Don McKay. “After the start we had, to finish the season 11-10 was a feat. To see the rookies get some good minutes was great and at the end were definitely able to play at our tempo.”
The Tommies faced the fourth seeded Mount Allison University Mounties in the quarter finals of the ACAA Championship, falling in a five-set thriller (25-22, 15-25, 25-22, 21-25, 14-16).
“Even though we lost 14-16 in the 5th to MTA at Championships, I thought all players, especially the subs, played a very competitive style,” said McKay. “We were very close to making a tremendous comeback in the fifth set of that match too.”
The Tommies had two members make the ACAA All-Star team with 3rd year left-side Megan Mills (Fredericton, NB) and 3rd year middle Hannah Millier (Fredericton, NB) making the 1st and 2nd team, respectively.
Mills led the ACAA in total digs and finished second in total kills, while Millier led the league in service aces.
“Megan had a ton of swings for us this year,” said McKay about one of his All-Stars. “She had some tremendous hits, considering she played with a sprained thumb a lot of the time and had it taped. Most impressive was her improved defense. She has been bruised from her "year on the floor”. Her control of passes and digs were so much better this season. Hannah understands the game so well. She runs the quick and slide step well and hits the ball very hard. Her serve has been one of the toughest in our league. We will continue to push her to be more consistent in getting it in, but when she is on a serving roll, she is awesome. She also loves to play defense and to pass.”
The Tommies will be losing two of their setters, Veronique McGrath and Lauren MacDonald, but McKay is optimistic for next season.
“One never knows until September and January, when the semesters have started, to see who actually is available to play for us. Theoretically, losing only two setters this year, we will have an experienced group next year.”
“All in all it was a great year again with a wonderful bunch of young ladies,” McKay added. “Having the High-Performance training with Mark Gifford and Yoga with Barbara Timmins, they have been great additions to our program. Our Assistant Coaches, Carys Storey and Paul Diamond, did a great job this year too.”