Mount Royal defeats UQAM to finish season on a high

VANCOUVER – The No. 3 seed Mount Royal Cougars defeated the fourth-ranked UQAM Citadins 3-0 (25-10, 25-23, 25-19) in the consolation final at the 2023 U SPORTS Women’s Volleyball Championship, presented by Mikasa, at War Memorial Gym in Vancouver, B.C.

The Cougars exploded out of the gate, taking the first four points of the match and continued to build their lead en route to a dominant 25-10 first-set win. The RSEQ champion Citadins found their legs in the second set, trading points with their opponents from Alberta in a battle that went down to the wire. Tied at 23, MRU’s Nyadholi Thokbuom slammed home what was then her match-leading eighth kill before a UQAM attack error sealed the set win for the Cougars. Mount Royal then rolled to a comfortable 25-19 third-set victory.

Thokbuom led the way for the Cougars with 11 kills and three blocks. Haley Roe also chipped in 10 kills for MRU, while setter Quinn Pelland had a match-high 33 assists to go along with 12 digs. UQAM’s Anica Pineault led all hitters with 12 kills, while libero Ariane Pelosse-Brunelle contributed a match-high 17 digs.

The Cougars’ consolation final win means that they finish top five in the country for the second straight year. The Citadins close out their first-ever RSEQ championship season as the number six team in U SPORTS.

Mikasa Players of the Game

• Mount Royal: Nyadholi Thokbuom
• UQAM: Anica Pineault