Mansure ensures tourney victory for Martlets in Ottawa
Ìý
OTTAWA - Marcela Mansure, a native of Rio de Janeiro, and Jennifer Thomson of Rosemere, Que., paced ±«ÓãÖ±²¥ to a 4-1 record and a gold medal finish at the Quality Hotel Pre-season Classic women's volleyball tournament in Ottawa over the weekend.
Ìý
It was the Martlets' first tourney title since winning the same event in January, 2006.
Ìý
Mansure, a 5-foot-7 sophomore setter, was named tournament MVP. In five matches, the 22-year-old occupational therapy major registered 145 assists to go along with 43 digs, 13 kills, six aces, a pair of stuff blocks and a 2.50 passing ratio out of 3.
Ìý
Thomson, a 5-foot-7 power-hitter, also earned all-tournament honours. The fifth-year physical education major racked up 88 digs, 63 kills, five aces, two blocks and a 2.20 passing ratio.
Ìý
±«ÓãÖ±²¥ opened the 10-team tourney on Friday with a 3-0 sweep over Windsor and a 3-2 loss to Ottawa. They followed that on Saturday with identical 3-0 sweeps over Moncton and Ryerson. In Sunday's final, the Martlets defeated McMaster 3-1. The set scores were 25-23, 25-13, 22-25 and 25-20 in a match that lasted two hours and six minutes.
Ìý
±«ÓãÖ±²¥ has quietly racked up an 8-2 record in preseason play. Among the other victories were two decisions over Queen's, plus conquests over Waterloo and College Bois-de-Boulogne, one of the top CEGEP squads in the province. The second loss was a 3-2 decision against the defending conference champion Université de Montreal in the final of the Carabins tourney last month.
Ìý
The Martlets will now focus on preparing for the 19th annual ±«ÓãÖ±²¥ invitational tournament, slated for Oct. 16-18. The five-team event features Montreal, plus McMaster, Dalhousie and Saint Mary's.Ìý The Carabins, who won bronze at the CIS championships last spring, are considered the best bet to reach the final. McMaster is also expected to be a contender after finishing sixth at the Nationals. The Martlets will be bidding to win their own tourney for the first time since 1997.
Ìý
QUALITY HOTEL PRE-SEASON CLASSIC TOURNAMENT RESULTS:
| FRIDAY OCT 2 | CENTRE COURT 1 | CENTRE COURT 2 |
| 10:00 AM | Windsor (0) vs ±«ÓãÖ±²¥ (3) |
Acadia (0) vs McMaster (3) |
| 12:30 PM | Ottawa (3) vs Ryerson (1) |
Sherbrooke (3) vs Guelph (2) |
| 3:00 PM | Windsor (1) vs Moncton (3) |
Acadia (0) vs Queen's (3) |
| 5:30 PM | Ottawa (3) vs ±«ÓãÖ±²¥ (2) |
McMaster (3) vs Sherbrooke (1) |
| 8:00 PM | Moncton (3) vs Ryerson (2) |
Queen's (3) vs Guelph (0) |
| SATURDAYÌýOCT 3 | CENTRE COURT 1 | CENTRE COURT 2 |
| 10:00 AM | Ottawa (3) vs Windsor (1) |
Sherbrooke (3) vs Acadia (1) |
| 12:30 PM | ±«ÓãÖ±²¥ (3) vs Moncton (0) |
McMaster (3) vs Queen's (2) |
| 3:00 PM | Windsor (2) vs Ryerson (3) |
Acadia (1) vs Guelph (3) |
| 5:30 PM | Ottawa (2) vs Moncton (3) |
Sherbrooke (2) vs Queen's (3) |
| 8:00 PM | Ryerson (0) vs ±«ÓãÖ±²¥ (3) |
Guelph (1) vs McMaster (3) |
| SUNDAY OCT 4 | CENTRE COURT 1 | CENTRE COURT 2 |
| 09:00 AM | Acadia (3) vs Windsor (0) |
|
| 11:00 AM | Moncton (2) vs Sherbrooke (3) |
Ryerson (0) vs Guelph (3) |
| 01:00 PM | ±«ÓãÖ±²¥ (3) vs McMaster (1) |
Ottawa (3) vs Queen's (1) |