By Dan Hermanutz

18-MATCH WIN STREAK

RDC Queens Volleyball red hot heading into first place showdown

Feb 12, 2020 | 3:29 PM

The RDC Queens volleyball team is on an absolute heater this season, winning 18 straight games and becoming the number five ranked team in the nation.

The team has a season record of 18-2, with their only losses coming to the Briercrest Clippers in their first two matches of the season.

“We knew it was going to be a tough opening weekend for us having to play Briercrest, we knew they were going to be one of the stronger teams in the league, and playing them gave us a good idea of what we needed to do from October to the middle of February when we were to play them again and to make ourselves as good, if not better than them,” said head coach Talbot Walton. “For them to be able to learn at the pace we have pushed is incredible, they absorb information very fast in practice and they have also transferred that practice into game play.”

Briercrest will be coming to RDC this weekend for a rematch between the ACAC’s top two juggernauts. Briercrest is the only undefeated left in the ACAC and are the number two ranked team in Canada.

“We still have three weekends left this year before championships, so we still want to see these games as a part of the process of us growing,” Talbot explains, “but it is also going to be a great opportunity to see how much we have improved. You don’t get a chance to play a team like Briercrest too often.”

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Walton credits the Queens’ success to being a tight knit team. On and off the court they are a family, but a family who works to one goal by giving everything they have every practice and game.

“I think it’s part of our culture that we have high expectations in the program, I don’t think we put too much emphasis on winning 18 in a row, we just try to go out and make sure we get better every day and make sure we play some of our best volleyball on the weekends. But obviously when you have more winning going on, the atmosphere within the group is much more lively and happier.”

The Queens are being led by the likes of Emma Holmes and Tess Pearman, who each average more than three kills per set. Defensively, Kaylee Domoney is among the conference leaders in digs. Emma Letkeman is among the ACAC’s best in terms of service aces.

This is Walton’s first year back as head coach, and 16^th year overall, after a three-year absence. He certainly picked a good year to come back.

“To me, it’s a team that I’m not going to ever forget. I enjoy my job so much. The athletes make that job so enjoyable, you go to practice every day and they’re there ready to learn, work hard and they listen. They’re great personalities and make me laugh, make me cry. Just being around them on a day to day basis makes for a great relationship and a friendship.”

The Queens play Briercrest Friday at 6 p.m. and Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre.