Canadian women lose tough Volleyball Nations League match to unbeaten Japan in Ottawa

Canada will be looking to even their record at 2-2 as they face off against Serbia in the Women’s Volleyball Nations League on Sunday to close out the first week of action. After suffering a 3-0 defeat to Japan on Saturday in front of a crowd of over 5,100 fans at the Arena at TD Place in Ottawa, Canada’s record fell to 1-2.

The match against Japan saw Canada lose with scores of 24-26, 20-25, 19-25. Japan dominated in attack points (39-33), serving (7-3), and committed fewer errors (19-30) throughout the game. Despite the loss, Canadian setter Brie O’Reilly from Langley, B.C. remained positive, stating, “Japan is really tough to play against, and we were right there with them. We’re just missing those after-20 plays and finishing sets. We need to stay aggressive and take confidence that there was a lot of our game that was really great.”

Looking ahead to the match against Serbia, O’Reilly emphasized the need for more aggressive serving and improved block defense systems. Kiera Van Ryk of Surrey, B.C. led Canada in scoring with 13 points and set a personal best with a serve clocked at 113 kilometers per hour, while Yukiko Wada of Japan led her team with 20 points.

Canada kicked off their VNL campaign with a win over Bulgaria but then suffered a loss to Netherlands on Thursday. Fans can catch the live coverage of Canada’s match against Serbia on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem, with the game starting at 6 p.m. ET.

In terms of the roster, the Canadian team includes players like Jessica Andrews from Guelph, Ont., Lucy Borowski from Vancouver, and Abby Guezen from Sherwood Park, Alta. Other members of the squad include Hilary Johnson from Calgary, Emily Maglio from Coquitlam, B.C., and Andrea Mitrovic from Mississauga, Ont. The team is rounded out by players like Julia Murmann from Toronto, Quinn Pelland from Wanham, Alta., and Anna Smrek from Welland, Ont.

With a strong roster and a focus on improving their game, Canada is ready to take on Serbia and strive for a win to level their record in the Women’s Volleyball Nations League. Stay tuned for more exciting matches and competitive action as the tournament progresses.