Pandas play host to volleyball Final Four aiming for 12th conference title

EDMONTON – Head coach Laurie Eisler and the U SPORTS #5 ranked Pandas volleyball team plays host to the Canada West Final Four this weekend at Saville, with a conference title and three nationals berths on the line.

The  Pandas program has captured 11 conference titles, all under Eisler, and are looking to make it 12 starting with a semifinal win against the Mount Royal Cougars on Friday at 1:00 p.m..

Fresh off of an exciting Round 2 that featured a victory over the number one ranked team in the country, the Trinity Western Spartans, the Pandas volleyball team plays host to the Spartans, UBC Thunderbirds, and the Cougars.

The last time these two teams played in the postseason was in 2020, when the Pandas squeaked out a 2-1 series win versus the Cougars.

Alberta enters the final tournament playing some of their best volleyball of the season. They are 8-2 in their last ten, including a 4-1 record this postseason. They are defined by a ferocious attack led by fifth-year Kory White, who recently received her second consecutive CW Player of the Year award and who also broke the CW career kills record earlier this season. They are far from a one-player team, however, as she is flanked by a veteran starting lineup that boasts five graduating players: middle Vanessa Jarman, outside hitters Julia Zonneveld and Erin Corbett, and libero Jenae Eisler.

This Pandas squad was phenomenal in the regular season, finishing with a Central division title as a result of a 16-2 record. They are incredibly efficient with their swings, recording a conference-leading .271 hitting percentage that also ranked second in the nation. They are also lights out from the service line, ranking third in the CW and fourth nationally with 2.16 service aces per set.

Looking to stifle this attack is the Mount Royal Cougars, who were the only team in the regular season to beat the Pandas. They had a successful regular season finishing 14-4, and are also 4-1 in the playoffs to date.

They are led by CW first-team all-star setter Quinn Pelland, who orchestrates an attack that ranked third in the conference in kills-per-set in the regular season, and paces the postseason in hitting percentage. Fellow first-teamer Madison Marshall and all-rookie middle Faye Murray round out a balanced and deep Cougars squad that is searching for their first CW championship in their history.

The squads will kick off the tournament at 1PM Friday at the Saville Centre, followed by the other semifinal matchup between the Spartans and Thunderbirds. Catch the action on canadawest.tv or on the athletics website.