By Nazifa Amin

The Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold women’s volleyball team bested the Trent University Excalibur in straight sets on Saturday at the Mattamy Athletic Centre (MAC). 

The Bold returned home following a successful road trip last weekend, sweeping the Royal Military College (RMC) Paladins while dropping just one set across two matches. Carrying their momentum into their penultimate home fixture of the year, they extended their winning streak against Trent to 19 consecutive games.

Third-year outside hitter Rian Lenarduzzi helped her team to an early lead, sinking two kills in the match’s opening seven points. The early advantage proved effective as TMU soon found themselves ahead by a hair halfway through the frame.

Fourth-year outside hitter Darcie Buchanan returned to the court early in the opening set after missing the first few months of the season with an injury. Following her return on Nov. 7 against RMC, today’s matchup marked her first home appearance since Feb. 7, when TMU faced the Paladins in their season finale.

“There’s been a lot building up to [the comeback] behind the scenes. Full of joy to be back again,” said Buchanan. 

Sinking her first kill of the afternoon at 16-14, the Bold immediately fed on the momentum, proceeding to rip a seven-point run. By the end of the match, Buchanan led the team with 10 kills. 

“[Buchanan’s] obviously progressing really well and on schedule as we had hoped that she would [be],” said TMU acting head coach Julie Gordon. “We’re eager to continue to get her back as she gets to 100 per cent come the second half of the season.”

Fourth-year outside hitter Marta Cerovic capped off the impressive set at 25-19, putting up three kills behind Buchanan’s four. TMU finished the first frame with a .308 hitting percentage, overwhelming Trent’s meagre .037. 

Trent returned with a vengeance in the second frame, though, immediately establishing themselves with credit to early kills from Trent fourth-year outside Kathryn Beresford and attacking errors from the Bold. After a timeout at 6-1, TMU dug deep to make up for their early passiveness. 

Continuing to trail 13-5, TMU called a wise timeout. Returning to the court, the Bold secured the next eight points, capitalizing on untimely service and attacking errors from their opponents. Cerovic, once again, blasted her fifth kill to pull her team even at 13-13.

Both teams traded points back and forth, but it’d be the Bold who would complete an impressive comeback frame. After two consecutive TMU service aces by Buchanan and a wayward attack error from Beresford, the Bold locked down the second set 25-22.

With the match in sight, Buchanan put on the blinders and played the entire court. After attacking from the centre and lunging to respond to Trent’s block, Buchanan finished the point at the net to bring her team to 11-6. Using their early advantage in the final frame, the Bold subbed in second-year libero Addison Othmann, who logged her first playing minutes of the season.

Though Trent showed late signs of life, Buchanan and Bold third-year middle Rayanna Amos-Ross Fisher began firing on offence, sinking a flurry of kills to secure the last set, 25-18. 

UP NEXT: The Bold will face the Excalibur again tomorrow at the MAC, looking to earn their 20th consecutive win over Trent. First serve flies at 12 p.m.