Willis Archives - Queen's Journal

One and done

Written on February 27, 2015. Posted in Sports.

Men’s volleyball’s first-round playoff exit wasn’t the ending they had in mind back in September. The Gaels dropped their post-season contest with the York Lions in four sets on Feb. 15. The game had been postponed from the previous day due to a power outage on York’s campus. Queen’s took the opening...

Home-court hopes dashed

Written on February 10, 2015. Posted in Sports.

Men’s volleyball lost home-court advantage in the first round of OUA playoffs with mixed results this weekend. A straight-set loss to the McMaster Marauders (19-1) on Friday and a four-set victory over the Guelph Gryphons (9-11) the next night weren’t enough to keep the Gaels (12-8) ahead of their...

Perfect homestand

Written on January 27, 2015. Posted in Sports.

The Gaels are flying high after a pair of straight-set wins in their final home games of the season. Victories over the Ryerson Rams (12-4) and Toronto Varsity Blues (4-13) kept Queen’s (11-5) in fourth place in the OUA, just behind the Rams and the third-place Waterloo Warriors (12-5). “We were firing...

Homegrown hustle

Written on January 23, 2015. Posted in Sports.

Jamie Wright wasn’t recruited to play Gaels volleyball, but he knew he wanted to attend Queen’s. The school — and its athletic programs — is in the second-year setter’s blood. His older sister Jenny is the leading scorer on this year’s women’s basketball team, and his father Bob quarterbacked Gaels...

Swept in straight sets

Written on January 20, 2015. Posted in Sports.

Men’s volleyball head coach Brenda Willis called a huddle after her team’s loss to the McMaster Marauders on Sunday. The Gaels were swept by McMaster, despite scoring 19 or more points in every set. “I told them that it’s not enough to play well enough to win ‘til 20 and then let it go,” Willis said....

A lot more to the job

Written on January 16, 2015. Posted in Sports.

Gary Gilks understands the balancing act his players go through. Just as varsity athletes juggle sports with academic obligations, their coaches are watching tape, formulating game plans, recruiting high talent and — in some cases — working other jobs. Gilks is a subcontracted carpenter for a local...

Poise powers straight-set victories

Written on January 13, 2015. Posted in Sports.

A York Lions player kicked a sideline chair in frustration midway through his team’s loss to men’s volleyball on Sunday. Queen’s (8-4) marched through two opponents this weekend without losing a set, overpowering the Nipissing Lakers (3-9) on Saturday and muscling out York (7-5). Queen’s and York...

A taste of competition

Written on November 27, 2014. Posted in Sports.

Youthful talent carried men’s volleyball to victory last Friday. Head coach Brenda Willis started first-year outside hitters Ben Harper and Dylan Hunt and second-year Aidan Roos in the Gaels’ four-set victory over the winless RMC Paladins, while veterans Mike Tomlinson and Philippe Goyer initially...

Strong, then stagnant

Written on November 21, 2014. Posted in Sports.

A promising start to men’s volleyball’s weekend was spoiled by a lackadaisical effort in their second match. The Gaels (3-4) were on fire Saturday, upsetting the Guelph Gryphons (7-2) — the OUA’s second-best team — in straight sets. The good spirits didn’t last, though, as they dropped a winnable...

Offensive execution

Written on November 14, 2014. Posted in Sports.

After a shaky start to the season, the Gaels got back on their feet with a win last weekend in Waterloo. The men stormed the Waterloo Warriors (3-4) last Saturday, winning the match in straight sets. A little extra motivation was present for the Gaels (2-3), since the Warriors bounced Queen’s from...

Win far from impressive

Written on November 7, 2014. Posted in Sports.

An ugly win and a shutout loss were the results of men’s volleyball’s Toronto road trip last weekend. The Gaels (1-3) lost in three quick sets to the Ryerson Rams (3-1), before taking on the Toronto Varsity Blues (1-2) on Saturday. Queen’s won that match in five sets after starting slowly. “It was...

Banner year

Written on October 24, 2014. Posted in Sports.

Brenda Willis and the men’s volleyball team have lofty ambitions this season. After finishing in sixth place last season, the Gaels fell in four sets to the Waterloo Warriors in the opening round of the OUA playoffs. This year, the team is aiming for a vast improvement. “Our goal is to qualify for...

Steady hand at the helm

Written on April 3, 2014. Posted in Sports.

Men’s volleyball head coach Brenda Willis has seen a lot since taking the helm back in 1987. Willis wrapped up her 27th season with the Gaels this year, and while she’s taking her career on a year-by-year basis, she doesn’t see herself putting her clipboard away just yet. Although the six-time OUA...

Dry spells prove costly

Written on February 28, 2014. Posted in Sports.

Battling injuries and long losing streaks, men’s volleyball was unable to recreate last year’s top-four finish and bowed out in the first round of the playoffs. In a season that saw them consistently struggle to stay in the win column, the Gaels rallied to capture their final three regular season...

Two sweeps for post-season berth

Written on February 11, 2014. Posted in Sports.

Men’s volleyball punched their ticket to the playoffs by sweeping both their weekend matches. The Gaels topped the visiting Ryerson Rams on Saturday before wrapping up their regular season with a victory against the Toronto Varsity Blues the next afternoon. The pair of victories gave Queen’s the sixth...

Still sixth by a hair

Written on February 4, 2014. Posted in Sports.

Men’s volleyball is on the inside track to the playoffs after a predictable weekend split. Hosting the nationally second-ranked McMaster Marauders (17-1) on Saturday, the Gaels (7-11) fell in four sets by scores of 25-21, 22-25, 25-20 and 25-13. The next day, Queen’s went up against the winless RMC...

Mistakes lead to defeat

Written on January 28, 2014. Posted in Sports.

The Gaels got caught sleeping up north last weekend, before scaring a top club in Toronto. Last Saturday’s game up north ended quickly with Queen’s losing 17-25, 23-25, 26-28 against a surprisingly capable Nipissing Lakers (4-12) squad. Looking to turn things around in Sunday’s match, the men stormed...

Consistent splits

Written on January 21, 2014. Posted in Sports.

Another 1-1 weekend kept men’s volleyball in playoff contention. The Gaels edged past their positional rivals, the Windsor Lancers, 17-25, 25-18, 25-21, 18-25, 16-14 on Friday, before falling to a strong Western Mustangs 25-23, 20-25, 22-25, 17-25 on Saturday. With Windsor only two points behind the...

Hanging tough

Written on January 14, 2014. Posted in Sports.

Men’s volleyball played above their 5-7 record last weekend, hanging with a top OUA club and sweeping a close rival. After losing to the Waterloo Warriors at home on Saturday in four sets (20-25, 25-23, 25-13, 25-18), the Gaels reorganized on Sunday and handled the Guelph Gryphons in straight sets...

European excursion

Written on January 10, 2014. Posted in Sports.

Instead of heading south for the winter holidays, the men’s volleyball team set their sights to the east. Second-year libero Ivo Dramov urged head coach Brenda Willis to plan the Gaels’ annual holiday trip to his hometown of Plovdiv, Bulgaria. Willis tries to take the team on an intercontinental trip...

Agony of defeats

Written on November 28, 2013. Posted in Sports.

The Gaels were unable to put away sets in Toronto this weekend. Queen’s (3-5) dropped two close road games last Friday and Saturday, falling in five sets to the Ryerson Rams (7-3) and losing in four to the Toronto Varsity Blues (4-6). With two games to go before the holiday break, the men are looking...

Swept from the court

Written on November 22, 2013. Posted in Sports.

An injury-hampered men’s volleyball squad fell twice in straight sets this weekend, sliding to 3-3 after back-to-back road losses. The Gaels (3-3) started their road trip against the Waterloo Warriors (7-2), losing in three sets 25-21, 25-21 and 25-18. The team is having injury troubles, with last...

Refine, progress and conquer

Written on October 25, 2013. Posted in Sports.

Men Men’s volleyball enters their season with playoff aspirations and old and new sets of hands taking the reins. Coming off an OUA quarterfinal exit in 2012-13, the Gaels open their season tonight on the road against the Guelph Gryphons. With just two departing graduates, the team’s maturing leadership...

Homeland security

Written on February 5, 2013. Posted in Sports.

The Gaels have secured home-court advantage for their first-round playoff matchup. The Gaels finished off the York Lions in three straight sets at home on Saturday, clinching fourth place in the OUA and setting up a first-round rematch with them on Feb. 16. The victory extended Queen’s winning streak...

New objectives

Written on November 29, 2012. Posted in Sports.

The Gaels have exceeded expectations through the first half of the season. Short-term success has suddenly changed the team’s long-term perspective. The Gaels swept the RMC Paladins 3-0 last Friday, wrapping up their ninth of 18 season games. The team has registered a 6-3 record, which puts them in...

Defending the crown

Written on October 23, 2012. Posted in Sports.

Men Head coach Brenda Willis said it last March, and her opinion hasn’t wavered since: the goal for this year’s men’s volleyball program is simply to make the playoffs. For a team lacking veteran players, an OUA title repeat is far-sighted. But making the post-season gives them a shot — something...

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