Chargers volleyball teams wind up season’s last league matches on the road
With their final home matches of 2008-09 just behind them, the Camosun College Chargers volleyball teams will wind up the league season with two weekends on the road before the beginning of the BCCAA playoffs (February 26-28 hosted by Columbia Bible College).
On Friday, the Chargers women played one of their best matches of the year to date, defeating the Columbia Bible College Bearcats 3-2 (25-19, 26-24, 23-25, 21-25, 15-7). Despite coming back after losing the first two sets and forcing the game to five, the higher-ranked Bearcats were not able to overcome the Chargers who were focused on the win.
“The women really proved to themselves that they could do it,” stated Camosun head coach Alison Hitesman. “After winning two sets and then losing two, they pulled it together for a very solid finish. I’m very proud of them.”
Saturday’s match against the University of the Fraser Cascades was not as successful, with the Chargers losing in three straight sets (25-18, 25-15, 25-21).
“I don’t know whether we were just spent after the previous night’s win, but for whatever reason we just didn’t have it today,” commented Coach Hitesman. “We worked hard enough … we just made too many mistakes against a good team.”
Earning a split over the weekend gives the Chargers women a record of 3-10 with a seventh place league standing. Sitting just outside the top six and with only three more matches to go (including an Island Rivalry against the #3 VIU Mariners) the Chargers will need to chalk up the wins and benefit from some major upsets within the current BCCAA rankings to earn a berth into the playoffs.
For the Chargers men, the question is … where will the team place in the playoffs? Currently at number three in the BCCAA, the Camosun crew won both their matches on the weekend earning their fifth straight victory and maintaining last week’s eighth spot in the CCAA national rankings.
Playing out their final home matches of the season this past weekend, the Chargers took both their opponents in straight sets.
While it took Camosun barely an hour to defeat the Bearcats on Friday (25-15, 25-19, 25-16), the team had to put mind over matter on Saturday to overcome the Cascades who were pumped from the previous night’s upset win against the top-seeded VIU Mariners. In their last home game of the season, and in front of a packed house, the Chargers turned on the heat and were unstoppable, conquering the University of the Fraser Valley Cascades 25-22, 25-18, 25-19.
“We knew they’d be ready for us after we had beaten them earlier in the year in their home and after their big win last night,” commented Camosun head coach Charles Parkinson. “But we were well prepared for them and we executed very well. The critical point in the match for us was going on a 13-5 run to finish the first game after being down 17-12.”
The Chargers also paid tribute to four veteran student-athletes last Friday. Women’s volleyball vets Laura Ouilette (Lambrick Park) and Caitlin Weir (Wellington) were recognized for their contributions to the program as third year players while farewells were presented to fourth-year vet Chris Abra (Lambrick) from men’s volleyball and fifth-year student-athlete Dan Goodburn (Claremont). Goodburn is the first Charger to play out all five years of eligibility at Camosun.
This weekend, the Chargers travel across the province to face off against the College of the Rockies Avalanche (Cranbrook) and the Selkirk College Saints (Castlegar). Both teams sit below the BCCAA’s top six in men’s and women’s standings.
- Fri, Feb. 6 Camosun at College of the Rockies, Cranbrook Women 6pm; Men 7:45pm
- Sat, Feb. 7 Camosun at Selkirk College, Castlegar Women at 1pm; Men at 2:45pm
Contact
Graham Matthews
Camosun College Recreation and Athletics Coordinator
matthews@camosun.bc.ca
250–220–2505
