Photo Credit: Freeze Frame Photos

The 2025 to 2026 OCAA women’s volleyball season officially commenced for the Sault College Cougars on Saturday, October 25 and Sunday, October 26 as they welcomed the Niagara Knights to Sault Ste. Marie for a two-match weekend series.

In Saturday’s season opener, the Knights demonstrated strong offensive pressure throughout, defeating the Cougars in straight sets by scores of 25 to 21, 25 to 18, and 25 to 11. Niagara’s Sam Cormier led the match with a 14-point performance, with Charlize Trudell contributing 10 points and both Tess Kelly and Abbey Gooder adding seven points apiece. The Cougars showed resilience early, with Avery Baxter leading Sault College with four points, followed by steady contributions from Darby Sewell, Payton Baxter, Addie Tremblay, and Jessica Sibenik who each registered three points.

Sunday’s rematch brought a more competitive effort from the host Cougars, who opened with a strong first-set win. However, the Knights rebounded quickly to secure a 3 to 1 match victory with set scores of 22 to 25, 25 to 17, 25 to 17, and 25 to 23. Niagara’s Kelly lifted her team once again with a 14-point performance, pacing the Knights to the series sweep. For Sault College, Sewell and Tremblay each reached double digits with 10 points, while Taryn Greco delivered a solid nine-point effort to close out the weekend.

Following the season-opening homestand, the Cougars will shift their focus to the road as they prepare for back-to-back matches against the Humber Hawks. The teams will square off on Saturday, November 1 at 6:00 p.m and conclude the series on Sunday, November 2 at 1:00 p.m.