Lancers look to flip script in Forsyth Cup rematch with Gaels

Windsor, Ont. – It has been a year since Windsor and Queen’s faced off, and that one ended in triumphant fashion for the Gaels. But with the same prize on the line this time around – the Forsyth Cup – the host Lancers will be looking to flip the script at the Toldo Lancer Centre.

“Our group has focused on doing everything we can to host this OUA championship match this season,” said coach of the year James Gravelle. “The boys are driven and took care of business during the regular season, securing the No. 1 seed, and the playoff battles helped our team prepare to achieve our ultimate conference goal of winning the OUA championship on home court.”

The Lancers had similar aspirations to end their 2024-25 campaign in celebratory fashion on their home court, but ultimately fell to the Gaels in four sets (28-26, 25-21, 26-28, 25-16).

The win marked the 10th Forsyth Cup title for the decorated Kingston squad, including five since 2010, and they were led by a game-high 26.5 points from the now graduated Zig Licis and another 20 from Reed Venning. Windsor, meanwhile, saw double-digit points from Chase Bridges, Anthony Ivanovski, and Darian Koskie.

The latter will once again be a focal point for the championship-hopeful Lancers, as the first team OUA all-star will look to help lead his squad to unchartered territory with their first OUA title in program history, but he will also have support from fellow first-teamer Gustavo Siqueira and last season’s player of the year Markus Law-Heese.

Siqueira, a fifth-year senior from Sao Paulo, Brazil, led all hitters with 16 kills on a .344 hitting percentage in the team’s quarterfinal win over Waterloo (21-25, 25-13, 25-19, 26-24), while also chipping in five aces in the four-set triumph. He backed up this 23-point performance with another 20.5 against Western the following week (22-25, 25-20, 25-23, 25-21).

This potent postseason run, which sees him leading the OUA therein with 4.38 kills per set and 35 total kills, comes on the heels of an equally productive regular season. His 3.63 kills per set ranked third in the conference, registering double-digit kills in all but four of his regular season tilts, and notching a career-high 24 in an early season win over Nipissing. These efforts were paramount to Windsor leading the league in both kills per set (12.39) and hitting percentage (.314) on the year.

Setting the stage for several of those heavy hits was Law-Heese, who is one of the league’s premier setters. The second team all-star and reigning OUA MVP orchestrated the offence with precision and poise, ranking third in the province with 9.72 assists per set, including seven outings of at least 40. Like his teammate, he has continued this steady play into the playoffs, where he had 43 assists in their win over the Warriors and 50 against Western in the semis.

The Lancers know they’ll need these standouts and more to be performing at their best if they want to back up their best record in program history (18-2) with their first Forsyth Cup because their familiar foes are as battle-tested as they come.

With their sights set on an 11th banner season win on Friday night, Queen’s will turn to a pair of seniors to anchor their attack, with Venning being one of those key figures once again.

The Courtice, Ont. product, who showcased his big-game status a year ago, continued that electric effort into the 2025-26 season. A first team all-star, Venning ranked eighth in the OUA in points (292), powered largely by 227 kills and a .325 hitting percentage.

Beyond his prowess at the net, he also remains one of the most well-rounded players in the league. The best in the business behind the service line, Venning’s conference-leading 0.63 service aces per set helped the Gaels set the league standard overall in that category, and on defence, he chipped in with 94 digs and 28 blocks for the Tricolour.

Fellow all-star Nikola Mitrovic, who was another steady presence on the banner season stage a year ago, has also been a focal point for the 14-win Gaels this season, thanks to his 273 points, team-high 230 kills (10th in OUA), and .282 hitting percentage. The economics major also chipped in with 83 digs, 28 blocks, and 26 assists for the province’s No. 3 squad.

More than just leading the way during the regular season, Mitrovic has been a force to be reckoned with during the defending champs’ unblemished quest for the Cup to date. He led the team in both of their postseason sweeps – defeating York in the quarterfinals (25-21, 26-24, 25-23) and Nipissing in the semifinals (25-18, 25-22, 25-22) – with 18 and 11 points, respectively while averaging a .438 hitting percentage (4th in OUA postseason).

Both of these teams have seen their student-athletes step up so far this postseason, adding to their impressive 2025-26 campaigns along their quest for the Forsyth Cup, and this trend will need to continue for either side to come away with the coveted conference title.

But whether it is Windsor making history or Queen’s adding to it, the feeling of hoisting the hard-earned OUA championship trophy will be one that is well-earned and well-deserved on Friday night.