Latest News

McGill, News

VP University Affairs advocates for open educational resources at McGill

by Helen Wu on

More in McGill:

Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Vice-President (VP) University Affairs Isabelle Oke is seeking to raise awareness about Open Educational Resources (OERs) by holding an information session on Feb. 8. OERs are free teaching materials like study exercises, lecture presentations, and textbooks developed by professors and faculty from around the world. They are uploaded to online databases like OpenStax, which students and staff can access for free. No publishing firms are involved in the creation of OERs; rather, experts in a specific field work together to pool their knowledge and pass it on directly.

Although they have been presented as a possible strategy to reduce the financial burden of textbooks for students, there are a number of obstacles preventing OERs from becoming a widely-accepted alternatives at McGill.

“We can take advantage of OERs that are out there, and over time contribute to creating OERs, but it is up to administration and individual department levels to make those decisions on whether or not the faculty here at McGill should be charged to create open education resources or use them,” Associate Dean (User Services) Jeffrey Archer said.

Currently, there is no financial compensation for adding to OER databases. According to Archer, the McGill administration has not taken action to encourage faculty members to work on producing OERs.

Oke, is organizing the upcoming information session to familiarize the McGill community with OERs. She finds that it can be difficult to convince professors to substitute old, reliable sources of information for OERs. Not only must they become familiar with a new system, but the OERs’ validity must also be evaluated as the lack of peer review means they would potentially contain biased or faulty information. Oke hopes for McGill to popularize an organized and efficient way to compile OERs.

“OERs are being used all the time without any intentionality, but there haven’t been any developed through official McGill collaborations since the Open Online Courses projects,” Oke said. “There isn’t any sustainable process that creates OERs.”

To expand and promote OER usage at McGill, Archer and his team at the McGill Library plan to pull together a list of all the OER repositories and make them available to interested faculties.

“The OERs offer a way to relieve some of the financial burden of purchasing class materials on students,” Archer said. “It’s hard being a student. Within a single term you may even have $1,200 worth of textbooks, and making even a few of them available as OERs [can be] helpful.”

Science Senator Salma Youssef sees great potential for the implementation of these academic tools to help reduce expenses for students. She commends the BC Open Textbook Project, which has saved students over $5.7 million total in textbook fees.

“The world of OERs is much more than just free textbooks,” Youssef said. “It also includes professors publishing their work in open journals, which can be a tricky thing to get them to do [….] By changing McGill policies on tenure and promotion to include things such as considering how involved a professor is with OERs, how much they publish to open journals, and whether they adopt textbook/open resources for their courses, it would incentivize faculty to incorporate a lot more of it.”

A previous version of this article stated that the BC Open Textbook Project has saved students over $1.8 million in textbook fees. In fact, it has saved students over $5.7 million. The Tribune regrets this error.

McGill, News

SUS Council creates new office of VP Sustainability

by Jade Prévost-Manuel on

More in McGill:

On Jan. 31, the Science Undergraduate Society’s (SUS) General Council convened to deliberate proposed amendments to the SUS Clubs & Services by-laws and constitution. Council also discussed the society’s upcoming social events, including the SUS 25th anniversary gala and SUS Academia Week.

 

Council amends Clubs & Services by-laws

SUS President Jasmine Leung proposed a motion amending the SUS constitution and Clubs & Services by-laws. These amendments included removing the offices of Executive Revenue Officer (ERO) and Executor of Clubs and Services (ECS), and creating the office of Vice-President (VP) Sustainability. This motion passed.

The office of ECS, which is currently in charge of fostering relationships between SUS and its affiliated clubs, will be removed from the executive committee on May 1.

“This is the first year that we’ve had a full-time ECS as an SUS executive, and while the work that they’ve done has been super valuable and necessary, we’ve come to the conclusion that, after the initial set up of the portfolio, the day-to-day work is not large enough to constitute an entire portfolio,” Leung said.

After consultations with the current and former SUS VP Communications, Leung decided that the ECS’ work is better suited as part of that portfolio.

“[The current and former VP Communications] think that it would make for a reasonable addition to [the VP Communications] portfolio, given that the current VP Communications liaises a lot with the computer task force and with clubs and services already,” Leung said.  

The ERO, who acts as the signing officer for SUS sponsorship deals, has historically had far more responsibilities during the summer months than during the academic year. For this reason, Leung proposed that the position be moved to the portfolio of the VP External, whose work begins in the summer.

“We think that if this position were moved under the VP External, given the definition of the VP External, we think that they, in collaboration with whatever person they assign the role of taking care of sponsorship, would more efficiently manage [the job],” Leung said.

The newly-created VP Sustainability portfolio will manage a number of committees currently within the VP External’s portfolio, so as to allow the VP External to dedicate more time to other mandates.

“The VP Sustainability will continue to take care of the Equity Committee, the SUS Environmental Committee, and SUS mental health committee,” Leung said. “Those committees and this portfolio in general are necessary and highly valuable to the Society, and we have no intention of redacting any of those [commitments].”

For the most part, councillors responded well to the proposed amendments.

“I’m glad that we’re passing this, and I think that everything that’s being passed is being done with the best of intentions and is moving SUS in the right direction,” Executive Administrator Joseph DeCunha said.

 

Councillors present updates on upcoming social events

Council discussed a number of its upcoming social events, most notably the SUS’ 25th anniversay gala. The event has now been moved back a day to Feb. 9 to avoid overlap with the McGill Biology Student Union’s (MBSU) Darwin Day semi-formal, and will be held at Crew Collective & Café.

VP Academic Ellie Joung also reminded Council of SUS Academia Week, which will feature a number of free science and research-related events between Feb. 5 and 9.

“We have a talk from Dr. [Victoria] Kaspi on cosmology, a workshop on [The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada] NSERC funding for research abroad, and a talk on child psychiatry, [and a number of] lab tours,” Joung said.

VP Internal Soud Kharusi presented new details regarding the SUS ski trip, which will be held on the evening of Feb. 17 for Nuit Blanche. Tickets for Science and Non-Science students will be $50 and $65, respectively.

SUS General Council will next meet on Feb. 14.

Editorial, Opinion

Renaming buildings: One step toward a more inclusive campus

by McGill Tribune Editorial Board on

More in Editorial:

Recently, McGill struck the Working Group on Principles of Commemoration and Renaming. The group will develop guidelines to consider whether McGill should rename campus buildings that honour historical figures whose legacies no longer seem worth commemorating. As with any debate on how to best memorialize the past, the Task Force raises the question of whether to judge historical figures by today’s standards, and whether it is possible to recognize someone for one aspect of their legacy, while ignoring its darker components.

A group of black students at Princeton University made their positions on these questions clear, when they called on the university administration to change the name of the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs in 2016. Wilson, former president of the United States and leader in the creation of the League of Nations, was also a racist and a segregationist. In refusing to change the name of the school, Princeton took the stance that it is possible to recognize a historical figure’s achievements while still reflecting on their flaws and wrongdoings.

It is crucial to recognize the reprehensible episodes from a community’s past, in order to learn from and to never repeat atrocities. However, oppressive historical figures no longer deserve to be held on a pedestal. Renaming buildings is an opportunity to—at least symbolically—recognize and confront inequality in the past, and the present. It also creates space for the celebration of new figures that better represent the McGill community’s values. Remembering the past matters, but so does honouring those individuals that we can take pride in today and in the future.

Stephen Leacock—former McGill professor and namesake of the Leacock Building—was a misogynist, and vocally opposed women’s suffrage. McGill’s own founder, James McGill, was a slave owner. While we cannot change the fact that these people played positive roles in shaping McGill, it is essential to acknowledge and affirm the standards of inclusivity and tolerance that we want reflected in McGill’s campus today.

Changing the name of the Leacock building or the Le James bookstore incurs little substantive loss in pragmatic terms, but has the potential for large symbolic gain. Renaming such buildings would spark important historical reflection and dialogue surrounding McGill’s past, and the people that were part of it. The building could be re-christened with the name of someone who better reflects McGill students on campus today, and whose legacy serves to promote equality rather than impede it.

Renaming buildings is an opportunity to—at least symbolically—recognize and confront inequality in the past, and the present.

Trailblazing women, people of colour, and other minorities and their accomplishments have long been overlooked and ignored in the past, due to oppressive social structures that silenced their identities and actively discriminated against them. This cannot be fixed, and should never be forgotten, but changing a building name does not in itself erase history. Instead, it can serve to celebrate those who were not historically recognized, or those who have contributed exceptionally to the university’s more recent past. It is crucial that the institution—and the role models it publicly recognizes—are representative and inclusive of the whole student population.

That said, symbolic change cannot be mistaken for substantive change. While changing the name of the building creates the appearance of greater tolerance and sensitivity, tangible progress toward making campus a more inclusive space for all students means matching that symbolic commitment with concrete action. McGill has a ways to go when it comes to inclusivity and representation on campus, and achieving equality clearly requires more than renaming buildings. However, critically reflecting on the names that McGill places on pedestals—and choosing to commemorate those that more accurately represent our community’s values—is a welcome start.

By the same logic, as a part of its mandate, the Working Group must seriously consider whether it is time to discuss renaming our university entirely. Clearly, changing McGill’s name would incur many financial and practical costs beyond the straightforward act of replacing the plaque on the Leacock Building. Nevertheless, it is a conversation that needs to be had. Even if the possibility of renaming is put to bed, it is important to reflect on the legacy of our founder holistically. James McGill created an institution that, today, provides students from a range of countries with incredible educational opportunities. The University’s reputation is now based on the McGill community’s academic achievements, rather than those of its founder. But, he also participated in the enslavement of black and Indigenous people, and must be remembered for all aspects of his character.

The name “McGill” has come to represent much more than its founder, to millions of people. McGill is a community that purports to welcome a diverse group of students and perspectives. It is known internationally for its academic leadership. This is not thanks to James McGill, but rather to the students and faculty that now study and work here. McGill should do justice to its community by ensuring that the institution’s structures promote a progressive and inclusive vision for the future.

 

 

@mcgilltribop | [email protected]
Out on the Town, Student Life

“Snowga”: Weekend outdoor yoga lessons attract crowds to local Montreal parks

by Tali Zuckerman on

More in Out on the Town:

Come winter, the average Montrealer can be found partaking in common outdoor activities such as skiing, skating, and sledding. But snow yoga, a newcomer to the scene also known as “snowga”, is on the rise, vying for a spot as one of the city’s most popular winter sports. Each Saturday and Sunday from Jan. 13 to Mar. 18, crowds of people gather in parks La Fontaine and Laurier to brave the freezing temperatures and partake in this shockingly relaxing activity.

“Snowga,” as instructor Melissa Ciampanelli explains, is the name given to yoga performed outside in the snow. It is taught by Pop Spirit, a “virtual yoga studio” in which owner Marie-Ève Bertrand uses public spaces, such as parks and waterfronts, to lead public groups in physical activities like yoga and stand-up paddle boarding.

“[Bertrand] started Pop Spirit seven years ago, and she started Snowga five years ago,” Ciampanelli said. “[Snowga] comes from Colorado. When [Bertrand] heard of that she said ‘Oh, I think people in Montreal would like that!’”

Apparently, she was right. According to Ciampanelli, morning snowga lessons consistently attract a crowd of 50 “snowgis”.

Although Bertrand’s original vision was to start the free “Snowga” classes simply for fun, their quick success enticed Bertrand to pitch the activity to the Montreal government for funding.  

“When she approached the city of Montreal they actually thought it was a pretty good idea, so they’re even sending her here [and] paying her to do this, which is cool because she just wanted to do it for fun,” Ciampanelli said.

Each Snowga class lasts approximately 40 minutes, as a Pop Spirit instructor leads participants, each with their own yoga mat, through classic yoga moves such as sun salutations, tree pose, and child’s pose. Partakers of the sport typically prepare for the cold by wearing a warm winter coat, comfortable pants, waterproof gloves, and snow boots. At the end of the class, yoga enthusiasts finish off the session with a two-minute relaxation period lying down on the snowy ground.

Although many traditional yoga positions cannot be performed when wearing bundles of warm winter clothing, Snowga incorporates many diverse yoga positions, such as mountain pose and triangle pose, in order to introduce the practice to those trying it for the first time.

“It’s kind of a sample of what yoga is, just to give people that desire to start practicing yoga, to get them to move around and you know, [get] addicted to it,” Ciampanelli said. “It’s just passing on the joy of yoga.”

Just like with most styles of yoga, the goal of Snowga is to get in touch with one’s body and exercise in a low-impact and meditative way. Snowga, however, has an additional central aim: To encourage people to go outdoors to get some exercise while enjoying the beautiful winter landscape, regardless of the temperature.

“The goal is to get people outside,” Ciampanelli said. “[It is] for people to come to the park and enjoy winter, because we enjoy summer, but we don’t always enjoy winter.”

Horoscopes, Student Life

The Tribune Predicts: February Horoscopes

by Miguel Principe on

More in Horoscopes:

 

 

Aquarius: January 20 – February 18

 

Happy Birthday, Aquarius! This month, Mars is oriented toward your sun, meaning you should pay close attention to your friends. Play a positive role in their lives by tagging them in relatable Facebook memes and sticking by their side. One day, they’ll return the favour, and you’ll be glad you were there for them all along.

 

 

 

 

 

Pisces: February 19 – March 20

This month, your ambition in pursuing a heavy course load and many extracurriculars may become overwhelming, Pisces. Take time to prioritize your activities—including self-care—and you will succeed in all areas of life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aries: March 21 – April 19

Aries, lately you’ve become bored with the status quo. Luckily, the lunar eclipse that occurred on Jan. 31 will give you the opportunity to change things up this month. Try out a new club or activity with your friends. But keep an eye out for Cupid, because around Feb. 6 or 7, you may find a love interest in an unexpected place like a samosa sale in McConnell Engineering, or during a drunken encounter at Cafe Campus.

 

 

 

Taurus: April 20 – May 20

The recent lunar moon will create conflict in your place of residence, Taurus. You and your roommate will be at odds about something in the household, whether it is their lack of understanding that dirty dishes do not clean themselves or their inability to respect your sleeping schedule. Try your best not to get too frustrated—you two will figure things out soon, possibly on the solar eclipse of Feb. 15.

 

 

 

 

Gemini: May 21 to June 20

Gemini, instead of spending all your time getting trashed on St-Laurent—as social Geminis tend to be inclined to do—spend the week of Feb. 10 applying for job and internship opportunities for this summer, as Leo signals that this will be crucial for your future. If you’re having difficulty with a course, now is the perfect time to go to office hours and talk to your professor about how you can improve—you’ll thank yourself later.

 

 

 

Cancer: June 21 to July 22

If you failed to start your New Year’s resolutions last month, don’t worry: January was just a free trial. This month, you will feel optimistic—a trait skeptics like you, Cancer, rarely display. Take advantage of your excitement to explore the city, try out a new winter sport like Snowga, or attend that house party you’ve been itching to go to.

 

 

 

 

Leo: July 23 – August 22

This is going to be the most romantic month of 2018 for you, Leo. If you’re in a relationship, you will be taking things to a new level this month. If you’re single, you may fall hard for an ex—whether this rekindling occurs through a late-night text or an accidental bump-in at Leacock, however, remains to be seen.

 

 

 

 

 

Virgo: August 23 – September 22

This month, you should focus on a hobby that makes you happy, such as playing guitar or coding. If you’re experiencing the infamous “quarter-life” crisis, Virgo, this month you will find a sense of purpose for all that you are currently doing. You’ll become more motivated in your hobbies (and classes) than ever.

 

 

 

 

Libra: September 23 – October 22

The lunar eclipse means that you will make new acquaintances and friends at any social event you may attend. No matter how awkward, all those faculty wine and cheeses or meetings for new clubs you’re trying out will be worth going to. Don’t get too distracted by these new friends though, Libra—you still need to study for midterms!

 

 

 

 

Scorpio: October 23 – November 21

As midterms approach, your stars are joined by Venus and Mercury, meaning that while it’s best to focus on studying, you’ll find extra value in taking a break this month. Make sure to call up that special someone, be it a friend or a romantic interest, for a relaxing day spent watching Netflix and eating rocky road ice cream.

 

 

 

Sagittarius: November 22 – December 21

First and foremost, make sure to follow your instincts this month, Sagittarius. The stars are in alignment, meaning that many new opportunities are coming your way. Make sure not to overcommit, as you will regret this in the future and end up burning out in McLennan and re-evaluating your life choices.

 

 

 

 

Capricorn: December 22 to January 19

Get ready to be intimate this month, Capricorn. Venus and Pisces are in harmony on Feb. 10, which means that if you’re single and ready to mingle, you and one of your close friends will finally move your relationship to the next level. But if you’re cuffed, beware of the solar eclipse in Aquarius on Feb. 15, which suggests that you, your significant other, and your friends may clash in some way.

Features

Yes, she can

by Selwynne Hawkins on

More in Features:

On Feb. 9, the Olympic Torch will complete its journey to the PyeongChang Olympic Stadium for the 2018 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony. For the 16 days that follow, millions of Canadians, from as far as 9,000 km and 10 time zones away, will tune in to support the world’s best winter athletes. Among the viewers are a generation of girls who, if previous years are any indication, will walk away with full hearts and imaginations.

 

Every year, the Olympic Games face warranted criticism; they’re wasteful and frivolous, and place excessive strain on host cities and nations. For all of their flaws, however, the Olympic Games remain unmatched in one area: Their ability to inspire for young girls and women. The Games provide a perfect storm of national pride, compelling female athletic journeys, and incredible performances. They’re perfectly suited for casual viewers, as the high-visibility and event diversity make the Games an accessible introduction to a wide variety of sports—and the wealth of women competing in them.

 

Nachi Fujimoto, a diminutive defender on Les Canadiennes de Montréal, hails from an unlikely hockey hometown: Sapporo, Japan. Hockey flies far below the radar in Japan, and the Olympics provide key coverage—alerting young people to opportunities in lesser-known sports.

 

“In the Sochi Olympics [in 2014], the Japanese women’s team qualified, and hockey gained popularity,” Fujimoto said in an interview with ///The McGill Tribune///, translated from Japanese*. “Before then, some people knew about the sport, but sports like baseball and soccer [were] much more popular. But when the Olympics came around, hockey gained popularity.”

 

Beyond simply exposing viewers to new experiences, the Olympics provide a unique opportunity to connect with positive female role models. With each iteration of the Olympic Games, a new set of heroines emerges from the sporting elite. The international success of women like Hayley Wickenheiser, Clara Hughes, and Christine Sinclair’s encourages new participants to try their respective sports. Strong female athletes play a vital role in encouraging girls to get involved in athletics, and this relationship can be leveraged to maximize benefits for young women.

Basketball, Men's Varsity, Sports

Seeing red: Redmen basketball take down Rouge et Or

by Ender McDuff and Gabe Nisker on

More in Basketball:

A statement win on Feb. 1 kept the McGill Redmen basketball team (9-2) firmly in first place of the RSEQ, as they downed the second-place Université Laval Rouge et Or (6-4) in decisive fashion by a score of 103-81.

Utilizing their deep bench and array of sharpshooters, the Redmen broke the 100-point mark for the fourth time this season. Fourth-year centre Noah Daoust led the way with 24 points and nine rebounds.

Fans crowding Love Competition Hall were treated to a back-and-forth first quarter. The Rouge et Or countered every Redmen basket, resulting in a total of 11 lead changes. McGill’s run and gun tempo clashed with Laval’s intense, athletic full court press, but the scoreboard at the end of the first frame read in McGill’s favour, 23-20.

“We knew it was going to be a dogfight,” Redmen Head Coach David DeAveiro said.

Introducing a formidable zone defence early in the second quarter, Laval tried to swing the game in their direction. The first McGill possession of the frame ended in a shot clock violation that had the Laval bench on its feet. However, next time down the floor, fifth-year Redmen guard Dele Ogundokun drained one of his four threes en route to 20 points on the night, sparking a 15-4 McGill run. McGill entered halftime up 48-37.

A fresh McGill team came out of the halftime gate with a pair of back-to-back three pointers. By the time Laval called its first timeout after yet another McGill three, the Redmen lead had been extended to 25 points—the game’s largest margin.

“[You] just keep going, wave after wave, and eventually they’ll wear down,” fourth-year guard Alex Paquin said.

Laval withstood McGill’s pressure in the third period, cutting the Redmen lead to 19 by the end of the frame. The Rouge et Or carried the same energy into the fourth, and forced DeAveiro to call a quick timeout to re-gather his Redmen. But the aggressive Rouge et Or didn’t let up, slashing the lead to eight points.

“We struggled, we just couldn’t get a stop […] but sometimes you just have to grind it out,” DeAveiro said. “You dig your heels in and say OK, we’re just going to see what happens and run our stuff and defend.”

A trio of critical three-pointers from Ogundokun and one from Daoust with five minutes left put an end to any Laval comeback hopes once and for all, restoring a comfortable lead for McGill.

“I’m in my fifth year, I’ve been here a while, so these are situations that I’ve been through,” Ogundokun said. “[These are] times that the veteran guys can step up for the young guys [who] might be struggling.”

Fellow fifth-year Francois Bourque added 10 points and seven rebounds in the Redmen winning effort, while Laval’s Frantson Demosthene led the way for the Rouge et Or with 22 points and eight rebounds.

On Feb. 3, the Redmen ventured into Rouge et Or territory for the second half of the home-and-away series. The Redmen, spurred on by 44 combined points from Ogundokun, Daoust, and fifth-year guard Jenning Leung, downed the Rouge et Or 68-61. McGill’s next home game is on Feb. 17, when they will host the Bishop’s University Gaiters.

 

Moment of the Game

After Laval cut McGill’s lead down to eight points in the fourth quarter, fifth-year guard and team co-captain Dele Ogundokun drained back-to-back threes with six minutes remaining to secure McGill’s victory.

 

Quotable

“We can’t be content with every lead. Even going into halftime, we had a lead but going into the new half, it’s 0-0. We just gotta keep pushing it. And we know that 20 points can go to 10 points real quick, so we try to push 20 to 30 and keep the lead going.” – Fifth-year guard Dele Ogundokun on closing out games and putting an end to the Laval comeback

 

Stat Corner

Shooting from distance played a key role in this battle—McGill hit 15 three-pointers on 38 attempts, while Laval only connected on three of their 20 attempts.

Creative, News

McGill Students Reflect On: Respect and Inclusion in Campus Life

by Tristan Surman on

More in Creative:

By: Tristan Surman

Students on the McGill Campus reflect on their personal understandings of and experiences with respect and inclusion. We ask what they feel the role of a University task force should be in promoting these values on campus. Some students worries about the limitations of the institution in addressing the issue; others hopeful about the dialogue that it might create.

“Discussion is really important, especially on an issue that goes so deep into people’s lives. But I don’t think that this task force, in itself, is going to fix any issues that are going on within the McGill community.” Do you agree?

Martlets, Sports, Volleyball

McGill Martlet volleyball serves Coach Beliveau to 600th career win

by Ariella Garmaise on

More in Martlets:

Following a shocking loss to the Université du Québec à Montréal Citadins on Jan. 25, the McGill Martlet volleyball team (12-3) faced off against the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees (3-12) on Jan. 27. The Martlets seemed discouraged by their previous defeat, beginning the game slowly and giving up two close sets to the Gee-Gees—despite Ottawa’s weak record and McGill’s clean sweep of the teams’ two prior matchups this season. The Martlets ultimately pulled through, however, winning three straight sets to take the game 3-2 (20-25, 23-25, 25-16, 25-22, 15-12).

The Gee-Gees maintained a steady lead throughout the first set, winning 25-20. The Martlets showed more promise in the second set, pulling into their first lead of the game at 14-13. This point marked a shift in momentum, and McGill went on to widen the lead to 21-15. In response, Ottawa called a time out to break the Martlets’ rhythm. The Gee-Gees capitalized on McGill’s loss of focus after the stoppage, scoring eight consecutive points. This time, the Martlets called a timeout to stop the bleeding, but never regained the lead, ultimately losing the set 25-23.

The Martlets came out guns blazing in the third set, scoring the opening point for the first time and setting the tone for the rest of the stanza. Fourth-year middle Myriam Robitaille dazed the Ottawa defence with a powerful kill; the Gee-Gees didn’t bother to try to stop her attack, and the Martlets pulled ahead to an 18-10 lead. With the score at a lopsided 20-11, the Gee-Gees called a time out. This time, the Martlets kept their focus through the break. They continued strong, winning their first set of the game by a comfortable 25-16 margin.

“The third set [win] was really out of nothing,” Robitaille said. “We had a pretty bad game on Thursday [against the Carabins], so it’s just about fighting at this point. It’s not even mental, it’s just stop thinking. Just fight, have your arms ready and hit.”

The Martlets looked sluggish in the start of the fourth set, too: The Gee-Gees won the first point and maintained their lead through the first half of the game. Excited by the prospect of winning only their fourth game of the season, the Gee-Gees were unable to control themselves both on and off the bench—shouting, banging, and chanting with excessive volume.

“Ottawa is very aggressive,” fifth-year middle Érika Cournoyer said. “They were very loud, they were screaming so much, but [we knew that] if we [kept] focused on our side, and [forgot] about them screaming [so] much, then we [could] win.”

Down 5-12, the Martlets called a time out to regain their focus, and then began to steadily chip away at the deficit. After tying the game at 15, McGill picked up steam, with second-year power hitter Claire Vercheval adding three consecutive kills to bring her team to an 18-15 lead. The Gee-Gees kept the set close, but the Martlets persevered and took the winning point.

In the fifth and decisive set, Ottawa got off to another early lead, and it wasn’t until Cournoyer served an ace that McGill tied the set at 11-11. The Martlets maintained their lead for the rest of the game, winning 15-12 and securing Coach Rachèle Béliveau’s 600th career win. Her players were happy to celebrate the achievement after the game.

“[On] our team, we always say that everyone is important, every player on the court,” Cournoyer said. “[Béliveau] brings this energy, she uses everybody, so being part of a team like this is a great experience.”

The Martlets will now turn their attention to a Feb. 2 matchup with the third-place Université Laval Rouge et Or.

 

Moment of the Game

Three consecutive kills from second-year power hitter Claire Vercheval helped McGill to break the deadlock in the fourth set, putting the Martlets up 18-15.

 

Quotable

“If you didn’t tell me [this was my 600th win] I wouldn’t remember. I knew I was at the point, but I was so focused on the game and the game itself, that I even forgot after the game. So if I didn’t see [the announcement at the end], to me it was just another game.” – Martlet Head Coach Rachèle Béliveau

 

Stat Corner

Second-year power hitter Claire Vercheval scored a team-high 17 kills.

Creative, Sports

Head to Head: 2v2 Soccer

by Selwynne Hawkins & Stephen Gill on

More in Creative:

With the intramural 2v2 soccer deadline gearing up for another season, The Tribune’s sport editors and writers explains the sport and engages in a bit of friendly competition.

Video by: Tristan Surman
Featuring: Selwynne Hawkins, Stephen Gill, Dylan Adamson, Jordan Foy
Special thank you to Charbel El Kafraoui.

1 … 589 590 591 592 593 … 1,363

Read the latest issue

Read the latest issue