Nov. 19 Niagara College sports report

The Niagara College women’s volleyball team defeated Redeemer 3-2. Photo by RYAN MCCULLOUGH.

Eden graduate Montanna Taylor is this week’s Niagara College female athlete of the week.

The St. Catharines resident played a key role in Niagara’s 3-1 (25-13, 26-28, 25-17, 25-19) victory over the Redeemer Royals.

The first-year setter recorded 30 assists, five kills, three service aces, eight points and seven digs in the victory.

Also contributing in the victory for the Knights, who sit in third place in the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association West Division with a 4-2 record, were: Jordan Koslowski , 15 kills and two service aces for 17 points; Welland native Natasha Desjardins, 13 points; and, Zeniah Pinnock, 12 points.

VAN’S THE MAN

Men’s basketball player Van Hutchinson Jr. was named Niagara’s male athlete of the week.

The native of the Bahamas had 25 points, 10 assists, nine rebounds, and four steals in a 100-93 victory over the Lambton Lions and 56 points, 13 rebounds, four assists and four steals in a 108-101 loss to the St. Clair Saints. His previous points high was 36. Hutchinson Jr played 79 of 80 minutes in the two games.

“Tonight we witnessed an amazing performance by the most dynamic player in the league,” Niagara head coach Phil Mosley said, after the 56-point performance. “I know he would have traded those personal stats for a win, but he was a warrior and should be commended on his performance.”

Also contributing for Niagara (5-2) in the win over Lambton were: Keveshan Padachey, 24 points; Ridley grad Livingston Bromwell, 13 points and 17 boards; Jordon McDonald, 12 points and 10 rebounds; and, Kevin Cooper, 13 points.

Also performing well for Niagara versus St. Clair were: McDonald, 10 points and nine rebounds; Padachey, 16 points; and, Bromwell, eight points and seven rebounds.

“St Clair is always a tough place to play and we were hoping to bring enough energy to get the win,” Mosley said. “Unfortunately, we could not finish the weekend with a win. I was very proud of our young men who competed to the end and stayed together.”

Niagara sits in second spot in the OCAA West.

MEN’S VOLLEYBALL

Niagara College’s men’s volleyball team evened its league record at 3-3 with an upset 3-2 victory 15-25, 25-20, 25-16, 17-25, 15-12) over 11th-ranked Redeemer.

Performing well for the Knights, who recorded their third straight win, were: Elijah Bugiardini, 15 points, including 14 kills; Tristan Swinden, Jaydon Milne and Eden graduate Micah Nieuwets, who all reached double digits in points; and, Ben Fillmore, 29 assists.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Niagara’s women’s basketball team sits in seventh place in the OCAA West Division with a 3-4 record after splitting a pair of game last week.

Niagara opened the weekend with a 55-46 loss to Lambton before rebounding with a 77-76 victory over St. Clair.

Leading the way for Niagara versus Lambton were: Centennial grad Bridget Atkinson, 13 points and eight rebounds; Holy Cross product Tia Stys, eight points and eight boards; and, St. Francis alumnus Sophia Al-Kayed and Alannah Yates, seven points.

Top Niagara performers versus St. Clair were: Thorold Secondary School grad Hannah Baker, 20 points and seven boards; Yates, 18 points and 12 rebounds; and, Kim Shepard, 11 points.