Volleyball Final Four

For the second time in the past three years, the Trinity Western Men’s Volleyball team plays host to the Canada West Final Four and enter the conference championship as the top seed and tournament favourite.

This event will showcase some of the top volleyball programs and players in the CIS as the teams battle for two final spots at this year’s national tournament are up for grabs.

Both the Gold and Silver medalists will both qualify for the CIS tournament in Calgary, February 27-March 1.

CIS #2 Trinity Western, #3 Alberta and #6 Thompson Rivers and upset winner #10 Brandon will be competing for this year’s Canada West title.

The last time TWU hosted the Final Four, in 2011-12, the Spartans won both the Canada West title and the CIS title and with the title being two years removed, TWU are looking to duplicate all areas of the game in both effort and success.

The Spartans are coming off a bye after earning top spot in the conference following a 20-2 regular season.

Throughout the year, the Spartans proved themselves worthy of their top billing as they led the conference in both hitting percentage, at .313, and opponent hitting percentage, at .177.

With an impressive serve and block game, the Spartans also led Canada West in aces, with 1.52 per set, and blocks, with 2.80 per set.

The block was largely led by Lucas Van Berkel, who finished atop the CIS in blocks with 1.38 per set, and Branden Schmidt, who was second in the conference with 1.20 per set.

On the attack, Nick Del Bianco led the Spartans with 3.42 kills per set while also earning 0.42 aces per set, which was second in Canada West. Beyond the block, Van Berkel also led the conference in hitting percentage at .470.

When the Spartans hit the floor Friday, they’ll be one win away from both the conference championship match and a berth in the CIS national championship.

The Spartans have been to four straight national championships and, having posted an 11-0 record on home court this year, hope to once again take advantage of the Langley Events Centre crowd and make it five straight CIS appearances.

The University of Alberta Golden Bears volleyball team heads to the Canada West Final Four as the No.2 seed, and will open the tournament against the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack. Alberta is 1-1 against TRU this season, having lost 3-0 to them, before beating the WolfPack 3-2 during a weekend series in Edmonton in November.

Alberta, led by long-time head coach Terry Danyluk, put together a 15-7 season during the 2013-14 campaign, and qualified for the Canada West Final Four tournament by sweeping the Calgary Dinos 2-0 last weekend in Edmonton, as the Bears posted back-to-back 3-0 wins over the Dinos.

Led by offensive stalwarts Ryley Barnes and Jay Olmstead, the Bears pack a powerful punch on attack, as evidenced by their fourth in CIS ranking in total kills with 1,088.

Barnes was Alberta’s points and kills leader, but Olmstead, a fifth-year who hails from Edmonton, has played very well down the stretch and recently moved into third place on the Golden Bears career conference kills list.

Sophomore setter Brett Walsh, who was named to the CIS All-Rookie team last season, runs the offence, while John Goranson has been the Bears best blocker this season.

Tucker Leinweber, Kevin Proudfoot provide offensive depth, while fifth-year middle Matt McCreary is a key component on the team as well.

The Thompson Rivers University WolfPack, returning to the Canada West Final Four after a four-year absence, are confident of the present and the future but at the same time, respectful of the past as they enter their 2014 conference men’s volleyball semifinal.

Looking at the present: the WolfPack have much to be encouraged about. They went into Edmonton for the first time in their history and beat the Golden Bears 3-0 (25-22, 25-22, 25-23) on November 15, 2013. The following night, they were up on Alberta 2-0 before falling 3-2 (25-20, 25-23, 24-26, 20-25, 12-15).

The last time the two schools met in the playoffs was at the 2010 CIS championships, hosted by Thompson Rivers.  The Golden Bears won 3-1 (21-25, 25-20, 25-20, 25-22).

It was a match that current fifth-year setter Colin Carson and libero Spencer Reed (both Prince George, BC) started.

The only other post season meeting between the two teams was on March 6, 2010 in Edmonton at the Canada West Final Four.  Alberta won 3-1 (25-18, 23-25, 25-17, 25-20).

The WolfPack again are led by Brad Gunter (3^rd year, outside hitter, Courtenay, BC).  He was the Canada West kills (5.31 per game) and points (6.04 per game) leader.

Gunter also was eighth in digs (2.24 per game). Carson led the Canada West in assists (10.93 per game).