OUA

Ottawa’s triumph over Queens and Guelph’s win over Waterloo gave Gee-Gees a playoff berth in epic fashion

It took two hours and seventeen minutes, but the Gee-Gees escaped the Queen’s Gaels in a five-set thriller at Montpetit Hall.

Meanwhile, a four-set win by the Guelph Gryphons over the Waterloo Warriors meant that the Gee-Gees win – in front of a rocking crowd – assured them their first playoff appearance in a decade. 

Home cooking

Fifteen kills by Audrey Odigie paved the way for Ottawa in their win, who also got massive contributions out of the middle from Keely Lloyd (nine kills, six blocks) and Christine Hachokake (eight kills). 

The Gee-Gees were also buoyed by impressive performances from a variety of young players; rookie Lea Pendergast had six kills including the match winner in a platoon role on the left side with Camryn Giddens, while Sophia Jekat, Tara Gosling and Liliane Boucher-Pfliger came up big on several occasions as serving and defensive subs. 

Ottawa took the first set 25-19, but Queen’s – led by Claire Carter’s eye-popping eight aces – jumped out to large early leads in the second and third sets, winning both.

The fourth set was a back-and-forth marathon. Ottawa played their way to a 12-5 lead, but consistent swinging and service pressure by the Gaels allowed them to mount a comeback; they took a two-point lead at 21-19. However, the Gee-Gees refused to go away: clutch kills by Giddens, Hachokake, Odigie and Lloyd, aided by some spectacular saves from libero Jess Goodman and pinpoint precision setting by Harper Schaefer, gave Ottawa the edge in a 27-25 barnburner.

With all the momentum on their side, Ottawa dominated the fifth. Following a comfortable, 15-7 victory, the team celebrated on court with a fervor unseen in years.

“It’s really really exciting, this was our goal from the beginning of the year,” said Goodman. 

Not one to mince words, Lloyd echoed Goodman’s sentiment. “It felt f***ing unreal,” she laughed, when asked about how it felt to make the playoffs, and how she felt about her own performance which included season-highs in kills and blocks. 

Playoff Struggles

The Gee-Gees, as the #8 seed, went on the road for the OUA Quarterfinal where they faced the #1 seed Brock Badgers (17-3), ranked fourth in the country. 

The Badgers – who won three straight Quigley Cups from 2022 to 2024 – were denied a fourth consecutive OUA title by McMaster last year, but were hungry to return to the top of the mountain as they seek their fifth consecutive medal.

Ottawa fought hard, but ultimately dropped the contest in three straight sets; 25-22, 25-14, 25-15.

Brock’s blocking and defense proved to be too much for the Gee-Gees to handle, while the Badgers’ balanced offence steadily wore them down. Both teams finished with eight blocks in the match, but Brock’s 40 digs outpaced Ottawa’s 29, providing them with extra chances to win rallies – most of which they capitalized on. 

Ottawa kept the first set tight; the teams were tied as late as 21-21, but in the clutch moments, Brock’s .232 hitting efficiency (compared to the Gee-Gees’ .022) was the difference-maker. They turned a 23-22 advantage into a 25-22 win with back-to-back kills and never looked in the rear view, dominating the final two sets.

Charlotte Ross, middle blocker for the Badgers, had the standout performance of the affair – she scored 9.5 points on five kills and 4.5 blocks; two of which were on Odigie.

Brock will face Queen’s in the OUA semifinals, while the other side of the bracket will see McMaster take on Western. 

Despite the loss, Ottawa should feel very proud of what they’ve accomplished this season: after a red-hot start, they grinded through an extremely difficult winter term schedule to make the playoffs for the first time in a decade, and lost to the championship favourite in the first round. While it’ll sting until next season starts, the Gee-Gees are set up to contend for the playoffs next year, and the experience gained will serve them well.

It’s been a pleasure covering the 2025-26 Gee-Gees Women’s Volleyball team through this historic season – we’ll see you next year.