Nov. 13 Niagara College report: Koslowski breaks records

Jordan Koslowski is the Niagara College women’s volleyball program’s new career leader in points and kills. Photo by RYAN MCCULLOUGH.

Two volleyball players from Hamilton, including a record-breaking female, were named Niagara College’s athletes of the week.

Named Niagara female athlete of the week for the second time this season was women’s volleyball player Jordan Koslowski.

In action last week, the fourth-year outside hitter became Niagara’s career leader in both points and kills.

In a match versus the Mohawk Mountaineers, Koslowski recorded her 680th career point, surpassing the previous record set by Tracy Smith (2001-2005).

Then in a match versus the Boreal Viperes, the former All-Canadian broke former Knight Ginni Llord’s (1999-2003) previous record of 556 kills.

Helping Niagara (3-2) record 3-0 sweeps of Mohawk and Boreal were: Koslowski, 11 and 16 points in the two matches, including 15 kills against Boreal; Zeniah Pinnock, 17 kills and eight digs; and, Montanna Taylor from St. Catharines had 18 assists against Cambrian and 24 versus Boreal.

Niagara sits in sixth place in the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association West Division.

BUGIARDINI NIAGARA’S BEST

Men’s volleyball player Elijah Bugiardini was named Niagara’s male athlete of the week.

The second-year opposite hitter helped Niagara to its first two wins of the season, with victories over the Cambrian Golden Shield (3-1) and Boreal Viperes (3-0).

In two matches, Bugiardini notched 21 points, which included 17 kills, three services aces and one stuff block. His three services aces and .600 hitting percentage against Cambrian were both career highs, while his 16 points against the Golden Shield matched a career high.

Also contributing for Niagara (2-3) was Jaydon Milne with 10 kills against Cambrian and eight versus Boreal.

Niagara sits in eighth place in the OCAA West.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Ranked sixth in Ontario, the second-place Niagara men’s basketball team improved to 4-1 on the season with an 89-64 victory over University of Toronto Mississauga.

Niagara shot 14-30 (46.7 per cent) from beyond the three-point arc to record its second straight victory. Van Hutchinson Jr. recorded his first career triple-double with 13 points, 12 rebounds and 15 assists. So far this season, Hutchinson Jr. is averaging career highs in points (18.2), rebounds (11.8) and assists (7.2). The native of the Bahamas is leading the league in rebounds and assists per game.

Also performing well for Niagara were: Dave Morrison, 14 points; Jordon McDonald, seven points, 15 rebounds and six assists; Ridley College grad Livingston Bromwell, eight points and 10 boards; Governor Simcoe alumnus Rahim Bardi, 11 points and five rebounds; and, Jose Ramos, eight points.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

The seventh-place Niagara women’s basketball team pushed its record to 2-3 and ended a three-game losing skid with a 62-50 triumph over University of Toronto Mississauga.

Leading the way for Niagara were: Welland Centennial product Bridget Atkinson, 18 points, six rebounds, six assists and eight steals; Thorold Secondary School alumnus Hannah Baker, 21 points and six rebounds; Holy Cross grad Tia Stys, 10 points and 12 assists; St. Francis product Sophia Al-Kayed, six points and five rebounds; and, Siarra Stefan, five points and seven rebounds.

Niagara’s men and women are at Lambton Friday and St. Clair Saturday.