Posted: Feb 22, 2014
SATURDAY MEDAL MATCHES
Gold: UBC 3 Manitoba 0
(both have qualified for CIS Nationals)
Bisons-Thunderbirds Stats
by Dan Elliott, Communications Manager, UBC Athletics
VANCOUVER – The UBC Thunderbirds scooped up their second straight Canada West title with a 3-0 win (25-20, 25-19, 25-22) over the Manitoba Bisons on Saturday night .
Both teams played championship-caliber volleyball in all three sets, but every time the Bisons crept up and looked like they were about to establish a lead, the T-Birds had the answer. UBC's depth of talent was on full display, as the T-Birds used great team defence and a balanced attack to win their second straight conference gold, and their fifth in the last seven seasons.
UBC libero Briana Liau Kent was another star of Friday's match, racking up digs like they were going out of style. She led the match again with 12 digs Saturday, and was a consistent anchor for the T-Birds all weekend.
Rosie Schlagintweit had 11 kills on .360 hitting. Abbey Keeping added nine and Juliana Kaufmanis had seven.
For the Bisons, Jordana Milne led the way offensively with eight kills. Rachel Cockrell had seven, and setter Brittany Habing was arguably their most effective source of offence, with five kills in six attempts. She also had 23 assists.
This makes 16 straight regular season or playoff victories for UBC over Manitoba, dating back to November 9, 2007. UBC also topped Manitoba in the 2010 Canada West finals 3-2, and eventually met them in the CIS finals that year as well, winning 3-1.
The T-Birds now look forward to next week in Regina, where the team will look to win a CIS record seventh-straight women's volleyball national title. This makes the fifth time UBC has won the conference title during that run.
UBC, Manitoba and Trinity Western all join host Regina at the eight-team CIS tournament next week. The tourney runs February 28-March 2 in Regina.
Bronze: Trinity Western 3 UBC Okanagan 1
(TWU qualifies for CIS Nationals)
Heat-Spartans Stats
by Shannon Pitt, UBC Sports Information Assistant
VANCOUVER - The UBC Okanagan Heat and the Trinity Western Spartans returned to War Memorial Gymnasium on Saturday to battle it out for the Canada West bronze medal and the final spot in the CIS championship tournament.
The Spartans prevailed with a 3-1 victory (18-25, 25-16, 26-24, 25-14), thereby securing their fourth consecutive appearance at national playoffs next weekend and the bronze medal.
The Spartans' Sophie Carpentier dominated at the net with a game-high 19 kills. UBCO's Megan Festival wasn't far behind with 15, and the Heat's Brianna Beamish also recorded 11. Megan Festival and Trinity Western's Lauren Moncks also led the game in aces, with three apiece.
GoThunderbirds.ca
FRIDAY SEMIFINALS
UBC 3 UBC Okanagan 1
Heat-Thunderbirds Stats
by Lee Dorner, UBC Sports Information Assistant
VANCOUVER – The six-time defending CIS champion UBC Thunderbirds will be back at Nationals again next week looking to make it a record seven straight titles after conference MVP Lisa Barclay led them to a win over UBC Okanagan in the Canada West semifinals 3-1 (25-17, 25-14, 22-25, 25-21) on Friday night at War Memorial Gym.
Recently crowned MVP, Barclay set the tone on Friday, and she set it early. She racked up 10 kills in just the first set on her way to a 27-kill night in which she hit .447 with an ace and a solo block. Mariah Bruinsma also had a very effective night, assisting on seven of UBC's nine blocks and adding two aces and three kills.
UBCO's Brianna Beamish finished with 13 kills to lead the Heat. Katy Klomps knocked down six kills on just 11 attacks in the middle, and she had four block assists.
The Thunderbirds will play for the conference title on Saturday at 7 p.m. The Heat play for bronze at 5 p.m. and also the final CIS berth.
Manitoba 3 Trinity Western 0
Bisons-Spartans Stats
by Dan Elliott, Manager, UBC Athletics Communications
VANCOUVER - In the second semifinal game of the Canada West Final Four tournament, the Manitoba Bisons swept the Trinity Western Spartans 3-0 (25-17, 25-21, 25-23) on Friday at War Memorial Gymnasium.
Manitoba's Taylor Pischke and Rachel Cockrell led the Bisons with 12 and 10 kills, respectively, while Setter Brittany Habing recorded a game-high 35 assists and Caleigh Dobie led the game in digs, with 16.
Sophie Carpentier and Royal Richardson championed the Spartans offense with 11 and 10 kills, respectively.
With the victory Manitoba earns one of three Canada West berths to the CIS national championship in Regina.
On Saturday, Manitoba will take on UBC for the gold at 7:00 pm at War Memorial Gymnasium. Trinity Western will play the UBC Okanagan Heat at 5:00 pm in the bronze medal game.
GoThunderbirds.ca
About Canada West Universities Athletic Association
Canada West is consistently the most decorated of the four conferences in Canadian Interuniversity Sport, winning 100 CIS national titles over the last 10 seasons. Comprised of 17 schools from the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia, Canada West produces numerous major award winners and Academic All-Canadian student-athletes each year, with many going on to athletic success around the globe in pro leagues or events such as the Olympics, Paralympics or Universiade Games. canadawest.org / canadawest.tv / @cwuaa on Twitter
A proud member of Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS).