Blazers stun perfect Pilots in five-set women’s volleyball final

For a couple of seconds, the perfect season was complete. The Providence University College Pilots rushed the floor to celebrate when the critical call was overturned. Twenty minutes later, the Canadian Mennonite University Blazers did the same thing.
There was no doubt that MCAC women’s volleyball final four MVP Layla Reichert’s game-high 21st kill hit the floor for a 15-13 Blazers win in the fifth set.
“In the millisecond I thought I lost, I was already satisfied because I thought my athletes played exactly as we drew it up. They performed, they came out and competed. I was just happy,” said Blazers head coach Jayme Menzies.
“Then when we got that other opportunity, I saw the look in all their eyes shift and from that moment … I knew.”
It was an upset in every sense. The Pilots, who went 18-0 in the regular season and were ranked 10th in the CCAA, had more kills, fewer errors, more aces, digs and blocks. They outscored the Blazers 110-96, losing three nail-biting sets by a combined seven points.
“Prov’s an awesome team. They had an amazing season and that’s how finals should be. Both teams played well and left it all out there and games like that can go either way,” Menzies said.
CMU’s game plan was months in the making. Menzies said her team prepared for PUC for the past three months, figuring out how to slow down all-conference left sides Tyra Peters and Serena Algera — who still combined for 34 kills in the final — and get more offensive production from her power hitters.
The moves included starting rookie middle Peyton Pistawka, sliding Sahra McKenzie to right side and putting Rachel Bartel at libero.
“Our libero that was playing before was doing great but we know we need Rachel on the floor because she’s a ferocious competitor but she’s a bit undersized as a left side and was having trouble scoring,” Menzies said.
“People developed in the right way that we could make a shift to keep Rachel on but not need her to score.”
Bartel stepped up and made a massive 48 digs on the weekend, including 25 against Assiniboine Community College in a five-set semifinal win.
The Pilots won the first set handily but the Blazers pulled ahead in the second and held off some tough servers just enough to tie it 1-1. Again, PUC won the third set decisively and had one set point in the fourth, barely touching an attack that sailed out before the officials pointed to Providence before switching the call.
In the fifth set, the Pilots missed a few crucial serves and the Blazers took advantage to remain tied or leading from 8-8 to the end.
“It’s surreal. We believed in ourselves but didn’t think we could get this far. We trusted in all of our teammates, we pushed and now we’re here,” Reichert said.
“Our game plan was just having fun. We have nothing to lose, we’re the underdogs basically. They’re the ones that had to show up because they’re 19-0.
“It’s a great feeling. It’s so exciting.”