Photo credit Yan Dublet
QUEBEC CITY (CIS) – For a fourth straight year, the
first-seeded and reigning three-time national champions University
of British Columbia Thunderbirds will play for CIS women’s
volleyball gold, thanks to a quick three-set semifinal win over the
No. 4 Alberta Pandas, Saturday evening, at University Laval’s
PEPS Stadium.
Championship website (live webcasts): http://english.cis-sic.ca/championships/wvball
The Canada West champion T-Birds, who swept their semifinal match
for a third consecutive year, will take the court Sunday at 4:30
p.m. against the winner of the late semifinal between No. 2 Trinity
Western and No. 3 Laval, the tournament host.
It will be a sixth appearance in seven years in the title match for
UBC, which is vying to capture a CIS-record eighth championship
banner. The Thunderbirds are currently tied with Winnipeg and
Alberta, who also have seven titles.
Alberta will battle for CIS bronze for the second straight season
Sunday at 1 p.m. The Pandas lost 3-1 to Laval in last year’s
third place.
There were several long exchanges between the two Canada West
rivals and great digs by both teams, although many of them favoured
the T-Birds.
With an early 12-3 lead, UBC created a gap that was almost
impossible to overcome. Despite the considerable distance, the
Pandas never quit and narrowed it down to 22-17 for the T-Birds,
but the reigning champs put an end to the set with three unanswered
points.
The next set was a copy-paste of the previous one with early leads
of 9-4 and 18-9 in favour of UBC. The B.C. formation completed the
job quickly, taking the set 25-15.
The Pandas were much more convincing in the final set. Down 16-11,
Alberta came back to within one point at 18-17. But the
Thunderbirds had one idea in mind, which was to finish the work.
That’s exactly what happened, UBC taking the last set
25-22.
“It’s kind of night and day compared to yesterday
(Friday),” said UBC’s coach Doug Reimer. “We were
ready to go. Everybody did a very good and consistent job through
three sets which against a team like Alberta is not easy to
do.”
“I was prepared for a very long and tough match; that was my
expectation. I don’t have the feeling that Alberta
didn’t show up to play; I think we won that match,”
added Reimer.
“We haven’t played that lineup since we played them
last in November, before the national team athletes
returned,” commented Alberta’s pilot Laurie Esiler.
“Kyla Richey and Jen Hinze bring a lot to the table, and they
were a tough opponent before those ones came back, so hats off to
them, they are great champions.”
UBC setter Brina Derksen-Bergen efficiently distributed the ball
with 42 assists, which was enough to receive the player of the game
title. For Alberta, Krista Zubick was selected the game MVP. Zubick
had nine kills and six digs.
STAT LEADERS
UBC
Kills: Shanice Marcelle (16), Kyla Richey (15)
Points: Shanice Marcelle (17.5), Kyla Richey (16), Mariah Bruinsma
(13.5)
Blocks: Mariah Bruinsma (2.5)
Digs: Shanice Marcelle (19), Rayel Quiring (16)
Service aces: Mariah Bruinsma (5), Lauren Whitehead (2)
Assists: Brina Derksen-Bergen (42)
Player of the match: Brina Derksen-Bergen
Alberta
Kills: Krista Zubick (9), Alyssa Jones (4)
Points: Krista Zubick (11)
Blocks: Caitlin Buckell (2)
Digs: Alyssa Jones (12)
Service aces: Jaki Ellis, Krista Zubick (1)
Assists: Jaki Ellis (12)
Player of the match: Krista Zubick
CHAMPIONSHIP
SCHEDULE & RESULTS
NOTE: Live webcast of all matches at http://english.cis-sic.ca/championships/wvball
Friday, March 4
Quarter-final #1: UBC 3, Sherbrooke 1 (25-13, 25-18, 23-25,
25-12)
Quarter-final #2: Alberta 3, Montreal 1 (18-25, 25-23, 25-20,
25-22)
Quarter-final #3: Trinity Western 3, Western Ontario 2 (25-23,
19-25, 25-18, 19-25, 15-8)
Quarter-final #4: Laval 3, UNB 1 (27-25, 23-25, 25-15, 25-17)
Saturday, March 5
Consolation #1: Montreal 3, Sherbrooke 0 (25-22, 25-18, 25-17)
Consolation #2: Western Ontario 3, UNB 0 (25-23, 25-21, 25-22)
Semifinal #1: UBC 3, Alberta 0 (25-17, 25-15, 25-22)
20:00 Semifinal #2: Trinity Western vs. Laval
Sunday, March 6
11:00 5th place: Montreal vs. Western Ontario
13:00 Bronze medal: Alberta vs. TBD
16:30 Championship final: UBC vs. TBD
-CIS-