Road Teams Rule
The Blues, Mariners and Bearcats each win on the road on Friday night
Week 12 of the women’s PACWEST volleyball schedule opened on Friday with three important matches.
Capilano Blues 3
Camosun Chargers 1
The first-place Blues are on the island this weekend and kicked off the doubleheader at Camosun with a four-set win.
They opened the match with a competitive 25-20 to take control. The Chargers battled in the second set and used extra points to take the win 26-24 to even the match.
Any Chargers momentum disappeared quickly because in the third set the Blues retook the lead with a 25-17 win before finishing off the home side 25-20 for their 16th win of the campaign.
The rematch between the Blues (16-1) and Chargers (6-11) is set for Saturday afternoon at 1:00pm. It’s worth noting that this will be the final home match for Chargers superstar Erica Bolink who has meant so much to Camosun during her time in the PACWEST. This match will no doubt be an emotional one.
VIU Mariners 3
COTR Avalanche 0
The visiting Mariners made quick work of the Avalanche on Friday night winning in straight sets.
They set the tone early with a 25-22 victory to take control in Cranbrook. The Mariners then rode that momentum in the second winning 25-18 before collecting their fourth straight match with a 25-20 win.
Despite the outcome not much changes in the standings going in Saturday’s rematch when the Mariners (13-4) and Avalanche (6-11) meet again in a potential playoff preview at 12:00pm.
CBC Bearcats 3
Douglas Royals 2
The Bearcats earned a gritty road victory on Friday night at Douglas pulling into a fifth-place tie with the Royals, two points out of the final playoff spot.
The Royals attempted to set the tone early with a first set victory of 25-15 and looked good in the process. However, the Bearcats chipped away in the second and used extra points to even the match winning 28-26.
In the third the Royals didn’t seem phased as they continued to play well and retook the lead with a 25-22 set win. They looked to be in the driver’s seat to earn their sixth win of the campaign, but the Bearcats had other thoughts.
In the fourth the visitors played a great set and evened the match again with a 25-19 win, forcing a decisive fifth set. In the finale the points weren’t easy to come by, but in the end the Bearcats recorded the upset win 15-10, winning the last two sets, on the road to beat the Royals and pulling into a tie with them in the standings.
The very important rematch is set for Saturday night at 5:00pm as the Bearcats (5-12) and Royals (5-12) battle for the final time this season.