VANCOUVER - The four-time defending national champion Thunderbirds are back on the big stage this weekend in search of a fifth straight CIS title. After losing a five-setter to Alberta in the conference title game, UBC heads to McMaster University with the second seed, setting up a quarterfinal tilt with the seventh seeded Queen's Gaels of the OUA.
CHAMPIONSHIP WEBSITE
All games will be broadcast live on
Sports Streaming Network.
GAME TIME
Fri., Mar. 2 - Queen's vs. UBC (12 p.m. at Arthur Burridge Gymnasium, Hamilton, Ont.)
UBC Thunderbirds
2011-12 regular season record: 18-2 regular season
Playoffs: CWUAA silver medalists
The T-Birds breezed through the Canada West semifinals against top rivals Trinity Western in three sets, but stumbled in the gold medal game against Alberta. A high number of unforced errors uncharacteristic of the nation's top offence ended up being UBC's downfall, as they hit a season-low .112 as a team.
But when one of your weakest performances of the year has you losing a gold medal game by just two points in the fifth set, things really aren't so bad. The T-Birds were ranked No. 1 all season for a reason, and they still have arguably the most talented team in the nation both offensively and defensively, and not just among their starting group.
Star players like Canada West MVP
Kyla Richey and former CIS MVP
Shanice Marcelle will continue to be the major factors for UBC's success, but their depth could be what sets them apart from the pack with three tough games ahead this weekend.
Lisa Barclay was second on the team in kills with 2.57 per game in the regular season, and her hitting percentage was better than even Richey's at .271.
Rosie Schlagintweit also hit .271 as one of the top backup outside hitters in the conference, and she had the best day of any T-Bird attacker in the Canada West title game with eight kills on .429 hitting.
Fifth-year outside hitter
Rayel Quiring is another excellent all-around option for the 'Birds, providing invaluable experience and consistency.
In the middle, third year
Jessica von Schilling has been at or near the top of the Canada West blocks leaderboard since she started her CIS career, but again the 'Birds have no shortage of capable bodies to support her.
Sophomore middle Abi Keeping proved she can get the job done when called upon, leading the team with 1.11 blocks per game.
Mariah Bruinsma also averages better than a block per game.
And if that isn't enough help on the block, setter
Brina Derksen-Bergen also happens to be a top-10 Canada West blocker when she isn't busy running the offence. She was second in the conference with 9.49 assists per game while adding just under one block per game.
Queen's Gaels
2011-12 regular season record: 13-5
Playoffs: OUA champions
Despite not appearing in the CIS top 10 rankings at all this season, the Gaels stormed through the OUA playoffs to capture the conference title and book their first ever spot at the CIS tournament. That's the good news for Queen's fans.
The bad news is their first ever CIS tournament kicks off with a game against the most dominant women's volleyball program in CIS history on a current four-year winning streak. The Gaels didn't get this far by accident, but if they want to go any further they'll need top performances from all their big guns in order to keep up with the firepower they will be facing on the other side of the net.
Fourth year outside hitter Natalie Gray was the OUA MVP, leading the Gaels with 3.24 kills per game this season. The Gaels also have a second-team conference all-star in Becky Billings among their hitter ranks, giving them two formidable threats from the outside. Billings had 2.71 kills per game this year and she has a dangerous serve as well.
Setter Anna Pedjase finished third in the OUA with 9.32 assists per game, and she can be a tough server as well, averaging almost half an ace per game. An aggressive service game from Alberta is what put UBC in trouble last week in the CW title game, so the Gaels' big servers could be the secret to success for Queen's this weekend.
The blocking game could be where Queen's ends up struggling though. Even if they can get the T-Birds out of system with their serves, Queen's ranked near the bottom of the entire CIS in team blocking, which may spell trouble when they go up against the MVP-calibre hitters of the T-Birds.
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