By Reegan MacAulay
In this edition of Hurricanes Weekend Recaps, the Holland Hurricanes finished November with a perfect weekend at home and on the road.
The women’s volleyball team closed out the first semester with a narrow victory over the conference’s top team, and both basketball teams made successful invasions in Nova Scotia.
Here’s what happened for the Holland Hurricanes in Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association (ACAA) competition on Saturday, Nov. 29.
Women’s Volleyball
The women’s volleyball Hurricanes enter the holiday break on a three-game winning streak and with five wins in their last six games after a nail-biting 3-2 victory over the league-leading University of New Brunswick Saint John (UNBSJ) Seawolves on Saturday at the McMillan Centre for Community Engagement in Charlottetown, P.E.I.
After not losing a single set across five victories, Holland was challenged this time to come in clutch and rise to the moment despite giving up multiple sets. Each team exchanged set wins, with the first three having neither team score less than 20 points.
UNBSJ took a 2-1 game lead after a 25-22 third-set victory, but Holland forced a fifth and final set with a 27-17 fourth-set triumph. The Hurricanes put together a fantastic effort in set five, forcing the Seawolves to call multiple timeouts, but neither helped turn things around.
Jenna O’Neill led in kills with 17, adding 12 digs. Abby Macdonald recorded 12 kills, three digs, and eight blocks, and Marissa O’Donnell logged 38 assists, one kill, three aces, and seven digs.
Holland’s win improved their record to 6-4, and they are now tied for third in the conference with Dalhousie and MSVU, each with 12 points.
The Hurricanes return to the court in January 2026, with a home-game doubleheader scheduled for the weekend of Jan. 10-11 against the MSVU Mystics.
Connect with the women’s volleyball Hurricanes at .
Women’s Basketball
The women’s basketball Hurricanes returned to their winning ways with an 88-61 victory over the University of King’s College (UKC) Blue Devils on Saturday in Halifax, N.S.
The Hurricanes ensured the Blue Devils remained winless, showcasing consistent dominance while utilizing many players. Although UKC battled hard, Holland emerged as the superior team whenever the game became a back-and-forth affair.
The Blue Devils kept things close for the first seven minutes of the game, but Holland exploded for 11 points in the final two and a half minutes of the first quarter, led by strong efforts from Sophie LeClair, Ava Dormer, and Nykeva Brown.
UKC kept the play almost equal in the second quarter, but Holland’s earlier surge was a significant help in preserving a decent halftime lead, 44-31. They held pace through the third and fourth quarters, notably leading by 30 points early in the fourth quarter, and ultimately led by 27 at the final buzzer.
Brown scored 19 points, went 6-for-10 in field goals, 2-for-3 in three-pointers, and 5-for-8 in free throws, and added nine rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Nadia Barrington, Karissa George, and Kyra Hector combined for 33 points. George went a perfect 3-for-3 in free throws.
After the weekend, the Hurricanes reclaimed third place after entering Saturday’s match tied, now sitting at 4-2 with eight points, two ahead of Mount Allison and two behind STU for second.
Holland will conclude the first semester next Friday, Dec. 5, at home court against the Crandall University Chargers.
Connect with the women’s basketball ‘Canes at .
Men’s Basketball
The men’s basketball Hurricanes ensured it was a perfect day for both basketball teams on Saturday in Halifax, N.S., defeating the winless UKC Blue Devils 86-79 in a much closer match.
In the men’s game, both teams traded points to start, with Holland edging ahead 15-9 just past the halfway point of the first quarter. Just minutes later, UKC took charge with a late-quarter surge, putting them up 24-20 going into the second.
In quarter two, the Blue Devils led by as many as nine points. Nine became 11, and, at one point, 15 during the third quarter, with the deficit coming down to eight with one quarter remaining.
The fourth and final quarter was a roller coaster, beginning with a zero-point match in the first two minutes, and then turning into a wild Hurricanes comeback around the halfway mark. Holland stole the lead, 70-69, with 4:33 remaining, but UKC quickly tied it, and that same pattern continued for several minutes.
With 2:37 left, the Hurricanes called a full timeout, which lit a spark under the squad. As soon as they retook the lead, they never looked back and held on for the win.
Spencer Rossiter executed his best single-game performance since the team’s season-opener on Nov. 1, tallying 25 points, a 10-for-25 field goal record, a 4-for-13 three-point record, nearly a dozen rebounds, six assists, and four steals. Zachary Dawkins, Owen Parsons, Khaliyl Smith, and Dorrell Bedminsster combined for 44 points. Dawkins and Smith had perfect free-throw records of 2-2 and 3-3, respectively.
Following the weekend, Holland has pulled away from UKC and is now tied for fourth in the conference with Crandall and Mount Allison, each with a 2-4 record and four points.
The men will join the women in completing the first semester next Friday, Dec. 5, with the men’s Crandall University Chargers also scheduled to visit.
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