CIS women's volleyball Friday roundup

St. John's, Nfld. - In the opening match of the 2013 Subway AUS women's volleyball championship, the fourth-seeded StFX X-Women held on to defeat the number three seed UNB Varsity Reds by a score of 3-2.

The X-Women jumped out to an early 2-0 lead despite the Varsity Reds keeping it very close. The first set was 26-24 and the second set was 25-23.

Aneta Nejmanova (Prague, Czech Republic), fresh off an AUS second team all-star selection, was a catalyst for the StFX attack in early going, coming up with timely kills to keep the X-Women out in front.

In the third, the momentum shifted in favour of UNB. The Varsity Reds used a balanced attack to mount the comeback attempt.

AUS all-rookie team selection Paige Nelmes (Poole, UK) was all over the court, coming up with big kills and rally-saving digs to lead UNB.

The Varsity Reds took the third set 27-25 before coming all the way back to draw it even at 2-2 with a 25-21 win in the fourth.

In the fifth and deciding set, StFX went ahead 9-4 but UNB showed their mettle by once again coming back with a big Rebecca Glancy (Toronto, Ont.) block making it 10-10.

StFX would make it 13-11 on a Nejmanova kill and the X-Women would hold onto the lead with Nejmanova putting a final stamp with a kill on match point.

Nejmanova finished the match with a team-high 16 kills in the win and AUS first team all-star Catherine Thornton (Kobe, Japan) added 13 kills.

The StFX defense was outstanding with the team combining for 109 digs in the win. Libero Maria Dunphy (Antigonish, N.S.) had a match-high 30 digs.

Nelmes, a rookie left side, had 16 kills and 26 digs to lead UNB. Glancy added 14 kills and setter Paige Paulsen (Keswick Ridge, N.B.) had 63 assists in the loss.
StFX advances to face the top seed and CIS No. 3-ranked Dalhousie Tigers in Saturday's first semifinal match. Game time is 4:30pm at the Field House in St. John's.

The game will be available live via webcast at www.austv.ca.

St. John's, Nfld. - The sixth-seeded Memorial Sea-Hawks upset the third-seeded Moncton Aigles Bleues in the second quarter-final match of the 2013 Subway AUS Women's Volleyball Championship.

The Sea-Hawks opened the first set on a 6-2 run capped off by a Laura Carmanico (Stittsville Ont.) kill. Moncton would could not close the gap to less than four points, with the Sea-Hawks eventually taking the first set 25-17.

In the second set, Memorial looked to have the upper hand as an Angela Peddle (St. John's. Nfld.) kill made it 18-15 forcing Moncton head coach Monette Boudreau-Carroll to call a timeout.

The timeout seemed to refocus the Aigles Bleues with Stephanie Lagace (Bathurst, NB) putting away big kills to give Moncton the advantage.

Moncton would secure the second set 25-21 as a Memorial attack by Sam March (Bay Roberts, Nfld.) just went out past the end line.

Moncton would keep the momentum, going ahead 7-3 early in the third set. The presence of middles Rachelle Lemoine (Winnipeg, Man.) and Genevieve LeMay (Ottawa, Ont.) gave the Sea-Hawks trouble at the net, and Moncton would not relinquish the lead in the set again, going on to win 25-20 to make it 2-1 for the Aigles Bleues.

The fourth set was back and forth with no team leading by more than three points the whole set.

With Memorial up 24-23, it was the host squad's middles, Chantel Jones (Thunder Bay, Ont.) and Peddle who would make an impact, forcing a Moncton error to give Memorial the fourth set 25-23 to draw the match even at 2-2.

In the fifth and final set, the vocal home crowd got behind the Sea-Hawks and it seemed to give them a boost as they opened the set going ahead 5-1.

Crissy Roy (Bathurst, N.B.) led Moncton back with key attacks as the Aigles Bleues took four consecutive points to again draw even.

The Sea-Hawks went ahead 14-10 and on match-point, Sam March made an athletic dig to setter Hayley Bremner (Calgary, Alta.) who delivered a perfect ball to Lauren Miller (Oromocto, N.B.) who put away the kill for the win.

Carmanico was the named the Subway Player of the Game for Memorial with 14 kills and 17 digs. March added 15 kills and 13 digs.

Setter Veronique Carroll was the Subway Player of the Game for Moncton. Carroll had 32 assists and 9 digs. Roy, in her final university match, had a team-high 12 kills.

With the win the Sea-Hawks advance to Saturday's AUS semifinal with the win.

They will face the defending AUS champion Saint Mary's Huskies at 6:30pm at the Field House in St. John's.

The match will be webcast live at www.AUStv.ca.

Source: Marcus Miller, Alberta Sports Info

EDMONTON – In a match closer than a straight-sets victory would indicate, the No. 6 ranked University of Alberta Pandas women’s volleyball team downed the University of Manitoba Bisons (28-26, 25-20, 25-20) in the first game of a best-of-three Canada West quarter-final, Friday night at Saville Community Sports Centre.

The series winner will head west to Vancouver where the UBC Thunderbirds will host the conference Final Four.

All three sets were close until the late stages when a few key plays tipped the score in Alberta’s favour. A balanced Alberta attacked saw Alyssa Jones emerge in the third set to lead the Pandas offensively with 10 kills, with Krista Zubick scoring eight and Dione Lang, Kacey Otto, and Lia Stang all contributing seven. Veteran setter Jaki Ellis added 24 assists and two aces, having broken the conference career record for aces in the regular season.  Defensively, second-year libero Jessie Niles led all players with 18 digs.

Manitoba’s offence focused around Rachel Cockrell (19 kills on 47 attempts) and Taylor Pischke (nine kills on 30 attempts), as the duo’s production accounted for 67% of the Bison’s kill totals. Pischke also recorded 12 digs and one block to lead the visitors on the defensive side.

Down 3-7 early in the first set, it took some time for Alberta to find their rhythm offensively. They eventually rebounded before the Bisons could reach double digits, and the squads began to trade points the rest of the way. Despite Manitoba holding an advantage in kills (16-13) and digs (23-18), the Pandas converted more attacks (23%-20%) on fewer attempts (43-45), in addition to committing fewer errors (3-7). The set ended on an electrifying rally, highlighted by a miraculous dig by Niles in a 28-26 win.

Ellis came alive in the second set with 10 assists and two kills, matched by sophomore Bison setter Christina Souza’s 10 helpers and one kill, and the teams again traded side outs for the majority of the frame. The Pandas combined a game-high hitting percentage (28%) and 10 more digs from Niles before a key Bison service error, with the score tied 20-20, sparked a 5-0 run and a 25-20 win.

The third and final set was a carbon copy of the second. Alberta and Manitoba swapped points late into the frame, but this time Jones played the role of catalyst, as the fifth-year right-side hitter, who came into the set with only three kills, exploded with seven converts and five assists. Cockrell, relied upon all game, continued her strong output with five kills and four assists in the frame, but another 5-0 Alberta run capped the 25-20 set win and match for the Evergreen and Gold.

The Pandas and Manitoba return to Saville Saturday night at 7 p.m. MT for game two of the series. If necessary, game three goes Sunday at 3 p.m. MT.

Source: Mark Janzen, Trinity Western Sports Info

LANGLEY, British Columbia – With Amber Brown (Three Hills, Alta.) collecting a record-setting 23 kills, the No. 2 Trinity Western women’s volleyball team knocked off Calgary 3-1 (22-25, 25-15, 25-21, 25-8) Friday at the Langley Events Centre to complete its best-of-three series sweep over the Dinos in the Canada West quarter-final and advance to the Canada West Final Four.

With a 3-0 win over the Dinos Thursday night, the Spartans ended Calgary’s season for the second year in a row. With the win, the Spartans advance to the Final Four for the third straight season, which this year will be played at UBC Feb. 22-23. The top three teams at the Final Four advance to the CIS national championship to be played at the University of Sherbrooke Feb. 28 to Mar. 2.

After dropping the first set, the Spartans took their game to another level in the second set to earn a 10-point win and then, after a tight third set, they crushed the Dinos spirits and its season with a fourth set in which TWU hit .542 as a team.

Brown, who had an attacking percentage of .475, led the way from the get-go for TWU as she had five kills in each of the first three sets and then added eight in the fourth set. Her 23 kills breaks the Spartans four-set record, bettering the previous mark of 21, which Kara Jansen Van Doorn set against Alberta Feb. 25, 2011. Brown’s mark was just two kills shy of Jansen Van Doorn’s five-set record of 25, which she achieved twice.

“I don’t know what it was but in the fourth set, whenever Amber touched the ball, it was golden,” said Spartans coach Ryan Hofer. “She made a variety of shots. She was smart. She attacked the ball well and she hit at seems. She was outstanding overall but especially in that fourth set.”

While Brown stole the spotlight, the Spartans had a number of quality efforts as Alicia Perrin (Creston, B.C.) had 12 kills and four blocks while Nicole Bazin (Winnipeg) added seven kills and five blocks and Amy Ott (East Selkirk, Man.) had six kills and four blocks.  Four different Spartans hit double-digits in digs with Kristen Moncks (Standard, Alta.) leading the way with a match-high 16. Setter Kelci French (Okotoks, Alta.) had a career-high 50 assists along with 12 digs and two aces. French’s assist tally puts her in a tie for third in TWU history for a four-set match, trailing Anna Paddock, who had efforts of 56, 53 and 50.

For Calgary, Andrea Price (Calgary) led the way with 10 kills and 12 digs.  Courtney Dawson (Calgary) added nine kills and five blocks while Lindsay Russell (Surrey, B.C.) had seven kills, three blocks and 12 digs. Setter Jordhynn Guy (Calgary) had 26 assists and nine digs.

“We needed to serve the ball into the court on this team to make them pass them ball,” said Spartans coach Ryan Hofer. “We didn’t do that in the first set and they were hot. We had to find ways of containing their hitters, making them pass and getting past their defence because they were digging balls.

“We had to raise our level of play in order to match them. We had to grind it out. I want to believe we played consistent and then raised it just a little to get a win out of it.”

The first set was largely Dinos-dominated. Up 8-7, Calgary went on a 5-0 run that gave the visitors its biggest lead of the series at 13-7. From there, Calgary, who was led by a crushing blocks that saw it earn five blocks in the first set alone, never allowed TWU closer than two points. The Spartans made a late push to make it 23-21 and then 24-22, but, in the end a Spartans serving error clinched the set for Calgary. Russell led the way for the Dinos with four kills and two blocks while Dawson had three kills and three blocks. Brown was the Spartans attack leader, contributing five kills.

In the second set, the game turned towards the home side. Trinity Western scored the first five points, thanks in large part to three straight kills from Brown, and then continued to roll, opening as much as an eight-point edge at 10-2. However, with TWU up 13-4, Calgary closed the gap to five points with a 5-1 run that forced TWU into taking a timeout, up 14-9. Out of the timeout, TWU went right back to work, scoring four straight points and all but putting the set away. From, there, TWU cruised to a 10-point win. A Dinos attacking error gave the Spartans the winning point.

Brown added another five kills for the Spartans while Dawson and Price each had three kills for the Dinos.

The Spartans jumped out to a 9-5 lead in the third set and looked in control early. But just as TWU had opened its lead, the Dinos responded. Calgary earned six straight points to take an 11-9 lead. But with Bazin and Brown picking up kills and Hamilton nabbing an ace in between, TWU went back up 12-11. But the Dinos didn’t wilt. With a variety pack of kills, blocks and taking advantage of Spartans errors, Calgary went up 15-12. But then, the Spartans found their groove, going on a 6-1 run that gave them a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. After TWU took an 18-16 lead, the teams played sideout volleyball until a block from Brown gave TWU a three-point lead at 24-21. A kill from Perrin ended the set with the Spartans up 25-21.

Brown had yet another five-kill effort in the third set for TWU while Calgary’s Doland had a team-high three kills.

The fourth set was all Spartans. Trinity Western took an 8-1 lead, thanks to five kills from Brown, and never looked back. The Spartans dominated the rest of the way. After a kill from Perrin, the Spartans went up by 16-5, at the technical timeout. Trinity Western ran away with the set down the stretch and with a Bazin ace took the set, the match and the series.

Game Notes: Both teams had 9 blocks…TWU had a 10-3 advantage in aces…TWU had a .313 to .140 edge in hitting percentage…TWU had a 63-49 edge in digs…last year, TWU also swept Calgary in the Canada West quarter-final, winning 3-1 and 3-0.

Source: Cary Mellon, UBC Okanagan Sports Info

KELOWNA, BC - An attack error by Oliva Grecu (4th year, Calgary, AB) of Mount Royal handed the Heat the second set 25-22, and as both teams broke the huddle to begin the third set, it seemed as if the Heat had finally rid themselves of any doubt that lingered after a deflating five-set loss the night before. But then MRU came alive. Defensively, the Cougars frustrated the Heat attack over the final three sets, as open court was hard to come by for the host team. Mount Royal built momentum in that third set and were able to just barely hold on in a come-from-behind five-set victory 3-2 (25-21, 22-25, 15-25, 25-21, 15-13), to take the game and the series two games to none.

As expected, the second post-season meeting between both clubs played out like the first, as both teams played point-for-point for almost the entirety of the match. Long rallies extended by unfathomable digs would be the theme on this night, as both teams refused to break defensively. However, Mount Royal's 80 digs to the Heat's 71 proved to be the difference, as the battle of attrition was barely won out by the Cougars.

For the second night in a row, Katie Wuttunee (2nd year, North Vancouver, BC) played her best volleyball of the season, connecting on 11 kills while also adding 4 blocks on the defensive side. Katy Klomps (2nd year, Surrey, BC), after only playing two sets the previous night, played all five and anchored the Heat front-line with nine blocks assists and two solo blocks to go along with four kills.

The graduate Alex Basso (5th year, Kelowna, BC), in what will now be the final game of her storied career at UBC Okanagan, finished with a team-high 13 kills and an inspired 20 digs for the program she helped build into the success it is today.

Her effort over the past five years did not go unnoticed either and it showed Friday night, as fans of not only the Heat, but of Alex Basso came out in droves to try and help stave off a Mount Royal victory. After falling into a lull in the third and fourth sets, the crowd erupted in the fifth after a Basso bomb from the outside put her team ahead 1-0. Chants of "Basso" rang throughout the gymnasium to honour what has been an incredible career for the hometown product.

While the loss will inevitably be difficult to deal with, it does not tarnish what was otherwise a hugely successful 2012/2013 season by the UBC Okanagan Heat. Not only did the Heat sweep the sixth-ranked Manitoba Bisons, they were able to dethrone the number one team in the nation, Trinity Western.

A 15-7 season, however, has come to an end. The Heat will now graciously exit the Canada West post-season and will look to next season as a new beginning in what should be an even more exciting season of volleyball here at UBC Okanagan.

For Mount Royal Julia Pasieka (4th year, Calgary, AB), who had 15 kills, led the Cougars on this night; her offensive production was supplemented well by Carolyn O’Dwyer (1st year, Lethbridge, AB), who added 12 kills and 12 digs. Olivia Grecu (4th, year Calgary, AB) was able to get her hands on 21 digs and put down nine kills.

It will be the Mount Royal Cougars moving on to the Canada West Final Four, as MRU refused to break defensively over the course of the match. 

With the win, the Cougars will move on to the Canada West Final Four next weekend in Vancouver at War Memorial Gymnasium, joining the No. 1 UBC Thunderbirds and the No. 2 Trinity Western Spartans who have already earned berths. Alberta leads Manitoba one game to none for the fourth and final berth.

The top three finishers of the tournament earn a berth to the CIS championships. The 2013 CIS Women's Volleyball Championship will be held February 28th to March 2nd at the Université de Sherbrooke.