Tommies Ready for Final Push: Mid-season review

Heading into the winter semester, the Tommies' Women's Volleyball team have kept up with the top teams in the ACAA. The Tommies own a record of 6-3, second in the league. STU trails the University of King's College Blue Devils and Mount Saint Vincent University Mystics by only a game - both with 7-2 records. Tommies' head coach Don McKay said his team has performed right around what he expected heading into the 2022-23 season.

"I thought if we had all players playing well that we would be near the top so yes 6-3 isn't a surprise," McKay said. "We are right there and able to compete with anyone. We started our first weekend without two of our best players and so we were 0-2 at the beginning of the season. It got better when they were able to play."

Since their two losses during the opening weekend of the season, the Tommies have gone 6-1, including ending the semester with four consecutive wins. Kathleen Boyle (Fredericton, NB) has fired on all cylinders to begin her ACAA career. The rookie left side sits in second in the ACAA in kills per set with 3.24, barely trailing the leading Frances Cooke of the Blue Devils at 3.29.

"Kathleen is doing exactly what we expected - having a strong first half," McKay said of his star rookie. "She is a solid player. Plays good defence and hits the ball hard. I'm looking for more consistency on her serving and receive the serve passing in the second half but I certainly like having her and Abby Lanteigne (Fredericton, NB) in the left side positions."

 McKay and his team will be joined by another rookie in the Winter Semester - Eden Cormier, a setter from Fredericton High School, will join the Tommies for the second half campaign.

"Eden gives us some insurance in that position - we still have a month and a half of Volleyball before Playoffs so lots can happen," McKay said. "Our League is more balanced this year so we have to be ready to play each set."

Comier played for Tommies' assistant coach Carys Story while at FHS.

The Tommies will see each ACAA once more in the regular season, except for the Crandall University Chargers, who they'll see twice. McKay knows each game presents a challenge to the Tommies