Match 5: Édouard-Montpetit Lynx 3, Holland Hurricanes 0
After losing a heartbreaker in the quarterfinals, the RSEQ champion Lynx mustered plenty of strength in their second match to dispatch the ACAA champion Hurricanes 3-0 (25-17, 25-13, 25-23) in the opening match of Day 2.
As in their first match, the Hurricanes started strongly, and led the Lynx 11-6 midway through the first set. The Lynx found their focus, tying the game at 13 and stretching their lead throughout the set with a diverse and balanced offensive attack.
The Lynx showed off the depth of their bench and kept the Hurricanes on their heels throughout the second set, winning by 12 points and delighting the dancing and Quebec flag-waving fans in the VIU bleachers. The Hurricanes showed plenty of fight in the third set and went toe-to-toe with the Lynx, but Édouard-Montpetit closed out the victory with a big swing from Sophie Descheneaux.
Setter Elle-Marie Fillion directed a furiously effective Lynx offense and was named 4Imprint Player of the Game for her team. Holland’s top offensive threat, Jenna O’Neill, was dangerous from the outside all game and earned the Player of the Game nod for the Hurricanes.
Édouard-Montpetit will face the Humber Hawks in the second bronze semi-final at 6 pm on Friday while Holland battles Saint-Boniface in the 7/8th place game at 1 pm.
Match 6: VIU Mariners 3, Les Rouges de Saint-Boniface 1
The host Mariners gave their white and blue-clad fans a victory to celebrate with a 3-1 (25-15, 25-18, 24-26, 25-15) win over the Saint-Boniface Les Rouges.
While VIU struggled with service errors, the team was able to keep Les Rouges on their heels when they had space in play to set up and attack. However, the MCAC champions never backed down as fifth-years Samuelle Lemoine and Bendu Dukuly made good on plenty of connections. Middle Félicia Martin-Ilunga also had a massive serving run, leading Les Rouges to a 26-24 third set win and a delirious roar from their “red wave” of travelling fans.
Les Rouges kept momentum early in the fourth set—starting out with a 3-1 lead—but VIU upped their block defense, led by Megan Duffy. After the score was tied at 10, the Mariners took charge and finished off the game with a big Jane Lytvynenko kill down the middle.
Two outstanding performances in the middle earned the 4Imprint Player of the Game nods: Duffy for VIU and Martin-Ilunga for Saint-Boniface.
The Mariners will face the University of Alberta-Augustana Vikings in Friday’s first semi-final at 3 pm while Les Rouges will finish their tournament in the 7/8th place game against Holland College at 1 pm.
Match 7: Camosun Chargers 3, Augustana Vikings 1
Camosun is charging on the CCAA gold medal final after the Victoria squad defeated the ACAC wildcard Vikings 3-1 (25-20, 14-25, 25-21, 25-19) in a match with fantastic crowd support and high-end play from both teams.
The first set was a back-and-forth affair. The shouts of “May Day” were heard through the VIU Gym as both Hannah and Gracie May led the Camosun attack, buoyed by the all-star serving from All-Canadian Erica Bolink—a theme that would continue throughout the day.
The Vikings had a huge response in the second set, running behind some outstanding service pressure, big swings from Shae Boyes and Addi Wolosuk, and clever setting from Sarah Dedrick to take the match 25-14.
The third set was tight until the Chargers pulled away late, while the fourth set featured the Chargers pulling away early with leads of 4-0, 9-4, 13-7, 18-11. The Vikings got as close as three points late in the set but a massive kill from Bolink clinched game, set, and match for Camosun.
The 4Imprint Players of the Game were Camosun’s Hannah May—who was brilliant offensively throughout the game—and Augustana’s Sarah Dedrick, who showed plenty of creativity and grit while directing the Vikings attack.
Camosun will play the Lakeland Rustlers in the CCAA gold medal match on Saturday at 6 pm—a rematch of the 2017 final. Augustana will face the host VIU Mariners in a bronze semi-final at 3pm.
Match 8: Lakeland Rustlers 3, Humber Hawks 1
The Pacific Coast seems to be made for Lakeland, as the Rustlers are returning to the CCAA gold medal final for the first time since winning gold in Victoria, BC in 2017.
This year’s trip to the championship final comes on the back of a 3-1 (25-14, 23-25, 25-16, 25-12) victory over the OCAA champion Humber Hawks. This semi-final matchup between two of the top-ranked teams in the CCAA throughout the season saw some big kills as well as some of the most devastating blocks in the tournament so far.
The gravity of the moment never seemed to bother the Rustlers throughout the game, and their focus and drive was in full effect in the first set, getting leads of 7-2, 14-7, and 20-10 on the way to the 25-14 victory.
Humber picked up their game in the second set, as setter Stephanie Armstrong started to find spaces between the Rustler defenders for quick attacks. Tied 23-23, a big kill down the sideline from Humber All-Canadian Erika Dodd and a Lakeland attempt that went long gave the Hawks the set victory.
In the third and fourth sets, Lakeland All-Canadian Jenay Varga took over the game, displaying incredible vision and skill as she alternated between big swings and carefully placed tips from the outside. From 22-16, Lakeland’s Kaylie Lueck served out the rest of the set.
The Rustlers got even stronger in the fourth set, rushing out to a 9-3 advantage and hit 21 points before the Hawks hit double-digits. A massive strike from the Rustlers’ Lana Matthews was dug into the ceiling to finish off the match and guarantee Lakeland will return to Lloydminster with a CCAA medal.
The 4Imprint Players of the Game were Jenay Varga for Lakeland and Stephanie Armstrong for Humber.
The Rustlers will play for CCAA gold against Camosun on Saturday at 6 pm while the Hawks will face the Édouard-Montpetit Lynx in a bronze semi-final at 6 pm on Friday.
