MVB: Cougars clinch Canada West playoff position with second place finish

For the fourth season in a row, the Mount Royal University Cougars men’s volleyball team has clinched a spot in the Canada West playoffs. 

Finishing second overall in Canada West with a 19-5 record and 36 points, the men’s volleyball team will host a quarter-final matchup against the University of Calgary Dinos who finished in seventh place. This is a new program high for the Cougars men’s volleyball program to finish in second place. 

The best-of-three series will take place beginning at 6 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 24 followed by a game on Saturday at 7 p.m. and if necessary on Sunday a game at 5 p.m.. All games will be played on Mount Royal University’s Kenyon Court.

Tough competition in Canada West from powerhouses such as the University of Alberta Golden Bears and the Trinity Western University Spartans provided challenge for the Cougars, but not surmountable. Despite losing 2-3 in both regular season games played in November, it’s been a neck-and-neck race for the two teams, matching in point totals almost all season. However, the Cougars take the advantage in games won with a final record of 19-5 over TWU’s 18-6. Against Alberta, Canada West’s top team, the Cougars managed to split their regular season weekend with them, winning Friday, Feb. 3 3-2 and losing Feb. 4 3-1. This split was important for the Cougars, proving they could beat the top team in the country. 

Offensive leader Chris Byam continued to dominate for the Cougars, holding fourth place among Canada West players in both points with 397.5 and kills per set at 345 total or 3.57/set. Luis Lange is also a strong offensive performer, topping the list of Canada West hitting percentage per set at .434. Lange is also the leading Cougar with .94 blocks per set, showing his defensive strength. 

Defensively, Max Horonga leads the way with 130 digs but has support around him in the form of Griffin Butler (124), Byam (117) and Jackson Brennan (93) which helps MRU ward off some of the top ranked offensive hitters in Canada West. 

Earlier this week, the Cougars were named to the U SPORTS Top 10 Rankings with a fifth-place position. The team received seven top 10 ranking positions overall, ranging from eighth to fourth throughout the year. 

Members of the men’s volleyball team have also received recognition through the Mount Royal Athletes of the Week presented by Players Bench program and Canada West Player of the Week showcasing their performances on the court 

After finishing third overall in the Canada West Central Division, a different split of teams to help with precautionary Covid-19 measures in 2021-22, the Cougars faced the University of Brandon Bobcats, Trinity Western Spartans and Thompson Rivers University Wolf Pack in a round-robin tournament. While injuries to key players like Byam were a challenge, the Cougars also faced stiff competition in the tournament and fell 3-1 to the Bobcats, 3-0 to the Spartans, but won 3-1 against the Wolf Pack. 

This year, when hosting the Dinos in quarter-final playoff action, the Cougars hope for a better fate. It certainly looks promising after defeating the Dinos in the Cougars’ home opener on October 21 and 22, winning both games 3-1. However, the Cougars will need to be on the look out for Dinos leaders Erik Godwin (219 kills and 261 points), Liam Kuppe (131 digs and an average of 1.54 digs/set) and Lincoln Bains (82 blocks).

Don’t miss a minute of the Cougars men’s volleyball action beginning with their first quarter-final game on Friday, Feb. 24 at 6 p.m. on Keyon Court. Fans are strongly encouraged to get tickets here in advance or watch the playoff action by tuning in to Canada West TV.