LIONS TAKE AIM AT FIFTH PLACE AT CIS WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
February 27, 2009
FREDERICTON, N.B. - The No. 5-seeded York Lions are heading to the fifth-place consolation final at the 2009 CIS women's volleyball championship after a hard-fought four-set win (28-26, 12-25, 25-21, 25-20) over the host UNB Varsity Reds in the second consolation duel, Friday afternoon.
York, which was eliminated from medal contention by No. 4 Calgary on Thursday, will face the No. 3 Trinity Western Spartans Saturday at 2 p.m. Atlantic Time. Trinity Western beat No. 7 Moncton earlier Friday after being upset No. 6 Laval in the opening round.
After struggling to overcome the numerous blocks throughout today's match against UNB, York's head coach Arif Nathoo recognizes the challenge of tomorrow's game.
Championship website: www.cisport.ca/e/championships/w_volleyball/2009
"Trinity Western is a big team, they have a great middle and we're going to really have to stop her."
Both teams brought their best to the court right from the start, showing exceptional skill at the net.
The Lions' Candice Paulsen (Scarborough, Ont.) led the court in attacks in the first set with 10 kills and a .467 hitting percentage.
UNB had five strong blocks for the set, a trend that continued throughout the match. The Reds took advantage of the second technical time out when York led 16-12, putting the heat on to tie things up 16-16. The teams continued to fight, playing neck and neck right up to the last points. The final minutes of the opening frame were filled with time-outs and substitutions on both sides and ended with a 28-26 win for York.
Not satisfied with the result of the first set, UNB pushed hard in set number two to gain an early advantage. The Reds were relentless on defence with six blocks and 16 digs putting the Lions' hitting percentage at 0.00 for the set. As a result UNB was able to take the second stanza 25-12.
York adjusted their game in the third set, regaining their strength in offence with a hitting percentage of .206. Angela Frawley helped spread the point gap with a long serving streak that included two aces. UNB rookie Amber Gamblin (Fredericton) came in to serve for her team and played back row. The momentum swung back and forth with York being the eventual victors 25-21.
Despite UNB's fierce blocking at the net (18 total), York took the fourth set with an early lead to win the match.
Paulsen led York in attacks with 17 kills and CIS All-Rookie Team member Thinesha Sriskandarjah was a close second with 16.
Jill Blanchard of UNB also marked 16 kills, leading her team offensively.
"I thought the entire match we blocked really well… we were physical at the net," commented UNB head coach John Richard. "The second game we had so much momentum from coming back in that first we just kind of ran away in the second. We just couldn't stay in it."
Player-of-the-game honours went to UNB's middle hitter Barb Vriends (West Covehead, P.E.I.) with eight blocks and 6 kills. On the other side of the net, York's outside hitter Sarah Sutton received player of the game honours with five digs, 10 kills, and a .413 hitting percentage.
STAT LEADERS
York
Kills: Candice Paulsen (17), Thinesha Sriskandaraj (16), Sarah Sutton (10)
Blocks: Kristine Vlcek (4), Nadia Reider (3)
Digs: Antonia Stathakos (22), Candice Paulsen (14)
Assists: Nadia Reider (54)
Player of the Game: Sarah Sutton
UNB
Kills: Jill Blanchard (16), Erica Hay (14)
Blocks: Christina Ross (8), Tanya Paulin (8), Barb Vriends (8)
Digs: Monica Jones (11), Christina Ross (10)
Assists: Melanie Doucette (42)
Player of the Game: Barb Vriends
SCHEDULE & RESULTS (all times LOCAL: Atlantic Time)
Video webcast of all 11 games available through: www.cisport.ca/e/championships/w_volleyball/2009
Thursday, February 26
Quarter-final #1: UBC 3, Moncton 1 (16-25, 25-16, 25-21, 25-13)
Quarter-final #2: Laval, 3, Trinity Western 1 (25-14, 19-25, 25-17, 25-22)
Quarter-final #3: Calgary 3, York 0 (25-18, 25-21, 25-21)
Quarter-final #4: Montreal 3, UNB 0 (25-17, 25-17, 25-16)
Friday, February 27
Consolation #1: Trinity Western 3, Moncton 0 (25-22, 25-17, 25-17)
Consolation #2: York 3, UNB 1 (28-26, 12-25, 25-21, 25-20)
18:00 Semi-final #1: No. 2 UBC vs. No. 6 Laval
20:00 Semi-final #2: No. 4 Calgary vs. No. 1 Montreal
Saturday, February 28
14:00 5th place: No. 3 Trinity Western vs. No. 5 York
16:00 Bronze medal (Rogers TV local)
19:00 Championship final (Rogers TV local)
Source: CIS Communications
York, which was eliminated from medal contention by No. 4 Calgary on Thursday, will face the No. 3 Trinity Western Spartans Saturday at 2 p.m. Atlantic Time. Trinity Western beat No. 7 Moncton earlier Friday after being upset No. 6 Laval in the opening round.
After struggling to overcome the numerous blocks throughout today's match against UNB, York's head coach Arif Nathoo recognizes the challenge of tomorrow's game.
Championship website: www.cisport.ca/e/championships/w_volleyball/2009
"Trinity Western is a big team, they have a great middle and we're going to really have to stop her."
Both teams brought their best to the court right from the start, showing exceptional skill at the net.
The Lions' Candice Paulsen (Scarborough, Ont.) led the court in attacks in the first set with 10 kills and a .467 hitting percentage.
UNB had five strong blocks for the set, a trend that continued throughout the match. The Reds took advantage of the second technical time out when York led 16-12, putting the heat on to tie things up 16-16. The teams continued to fight, playing neck and neck right up to the last points. The final minutes of the opening frame were filled with time-outs and substitutions on both sides and ended with a 28-26 win for York.
Not satisfied with the result of the first set, UNB pushed hard in set number two to gain an early advantage. The Reds were relentless on defence with six blocks and 16 digs putting the Lions' hitting percentage at 0.00 for the set. As a result UNB was able to take the second stanza 25-12.
York adjusted their game in the third set, regaining their strength in offence with a hitting percentage of .206. Angela Frawley helped spread the point gap with a long serving streak that included two aces. UNB rookie Amber Gamblin (Fredericton) came in to serve for her team and played back row. The momentum swung back and forth with York being the eventual victors 25-21.
Despite UNB's fierce blocking at the net (18 total), York took the fourth set with an early lead to win the match.
Paulsen led York in attacks with 17 kills and CIS All-Rookie Team member Thinesha Sriskandarjah was a close second with 16.
Jill Blanchard of UNB also marked 16 kills, leading her team offensively.
"I thought the entire match we blocked really well… we were physical at the net," commented UNB head coach John Richard. "The second game we had so much momentum from coming back in that first we just kind of ran away in the second. We just couldn't stay in it."
Player-of-the-game honours went to UNB's middle hitter Barb Vriends (West Covehead, P.E.I.) with eight blocks and 6 kills. On the other side of the net, York's outside hitter Sarah Sutton received player of the game honours with five digs, 10 kills, and a .413 hitting percentage.
STAT LEADERS
York
Kills: Candice Paulsen (17), Thinesha Sriskandaraj (16), Sarah Sutton (10)
Blocks: Kristine Vlcek (4), Nadia Reider (3)
Digs: Antonia Stathakos (22), Candice Paulsen (14)
Assists: Nadia Reider (54)
Player of the Game: Sarah Sutton
UNB
Kills: Jill Blanchard (16), Erica Hay (14)
Blocks: Christina Ross (8), Tanya Paulin (8), Barb Vriends (8)
Digs: Monica Jones (11), Christina Ross (10)
Assists: Melanie Doucette (42)
Player of the Game: Barb Vriends
SCHEDULE & RESULTS (all times LOCAL: Atlantic Time)
Video webcast of all 11 games available through: www.cisport.ca/e/championships/w_volleyball/2009
Thursday, February 26
Quarter-final #1: UBC 3, Moncton 1 (16-25, 25-16, 25-21, 25-13)
Quarter-final #2: Laval, 3, Trinity Western 1 (25-14, 19-25, 25-17, 25-22)
Quarter-final #3: Calgary 3, York 0 (25-18, 25-21, 25-21)
Quarter-final #4: Montreal 3, UNB 0 (25-17, 25-17, 25-16)
Friday, February 27
Consolation #1: Trinity Western 3, Moncton 0 (25-22, 25-17, 25-17)
Consolation #2: York 3, UNB 1 (28-26, 12-25, 25-21, 25-20)
18:00 Semi-final #1: No. 2 UBC vs. No. 6 Laval
20:00 Semi-final #2: No. 4 Calgary vs. No. 1 Montreal
Saturday, February 28
14:00 5th place: No. 3 Trinity Western vs. No. 5 York
16:00 Bronze medal (Rogers TV local)
19:00 Championship final (Rogers TV local)
Source: CIS Communications