Curler, V-ball player are athletes of the week
A student athlete in her first year of eligibility and one wrapping up his career at the post-secondary level are the Niagara College athletes of the week.
Emma Caldwell, top female athlete for the week ending Sunday, skipped the Knights women’s curling team to the silver medal at the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) championships in Sault Ste. Marie.
She was selected to the second all-star team at provincial championships hosted by Sault College.
The St. Catharines native and E.L. Crossley Secondary School graduate led the team to a 4-2 record in the round robin and advanced to the final with a 7-5 victory over the top-ranked Fleming Knights.
Niagara advanced to the Canadian championships taking place March 21-23 in Camrose, Alta., despite losing 6-4 to the Humber Hawks in the gold medal game at provincials.
While Niagara was eliminated from contention for an Ontario championship in men’s volleyball in the opening round of the playoffs, Jeff Scott earned male athlete of the week honours to end his five-year career at the region’s community college on a winning note.
The 6-foot-4 outside hitter from Georgetown left the court after a straight sweep loss to the George Brown Huskies — 23-25, 30-32, 25-27 — as the program’s all-time leader in points, with 930; kills, 770; service aces, 81; digs, 515; as well as games played, 83.
Scott, a catalyst on the 2014-15 Ontario championship team that won the bronze medal at nationals, was named an all-Canadian and an academic all-Canadian in 2015-16.
He was the OCAA rookie of the year in 2012-13.
Three players whose names are not usually next to the biggest numbers on the stat sheet scored in double digits as Niagara dropped a 77-71 decision to the Fanshawe Falcons to wrap up league play in men’s college basketball.
With the Knights already guaranteed a spot at the OCAA championships March 4-6 in Toronto, head coach Keith Vassell opted to give the majority of his starters a well-deserved rest in the road game in London, Ont.
Femi Akindele, Payam Saboni and Vicrum Kailey made the most of getting significant minutes on the court by scoring 15, 12 and 10 points, respectively, in a loss that dropped Niagara’s regular-season record to 13-3.
Starter Jordon McDonald scored 12 points and led the Knights in rebounding with five.
“Today was a tough loss versus a peaking Fanshawe team,” Vassell said.
“We were never able to take control of the game.”
“Fanshawe hit tough shots in the paint throughout the game.”
Niagara, which finished second to the 16-0 Sheridan Bruins in the west division, tips off provincials next Thursday against the Centennial Colts, 14-5, third in the east.
Jordan Koslowski, 12 kills, one stuff blocks; and Rachel Rivers, nine kills, two service aces, two stuff blocks; led all scorers with 13 points as Niagara swept the Seneca Sting — 25-17, 31-29, 25-6 — in women’s college volleyball.
The home-court win guarantees the defending Ontario silver medallists a berth in the provincial championships getting underway Friday in Windsor.
Niagara head coach Nathan Janzen said team serving was the key to victory.
“With 16 total aces and eight errors, we were able to stay in control throughout the match.”
Setter Bailey Davis had 29 assists and had 15-point serving run in the final set.
The Knights, 15-3, second in the west; return to the court Friday for a quarter-final match at provincials against the Cambrian Golden Shield, 9-9, sixth in the west.