CONSOLATION #1: CIS championship: Clark, Cougars sweep Huskies; will play for fifth-place

Courtesy of University of Alberta sports information

EDMONTON (CIS) – Regina middle Beth Clark was close to unstoppable as she led her fourth-seeded Regina Cougars past the No. 8 Saint Mary’s Huskies in straight sets, 25-18, 25-15 and 25-9, in the first consolation semifinal of the CIS women’s volleyball championship hosted by the University of Alberta, Saturday afternoon.

Championship website (live webcasts): http://english.cis-sic.ca/championships/wvball

Clark, a fifth-year athlete from Regina who was named a second-team all-Canadian on Thursday, showed why as she recorded a match-high 17 kills in the win over the AUS champions. The business student was extremely efficient on the attack, finishing with a .600 attack rating, while also being strong in her defensive play, picking up four solo blocks.

“That is what we’re more used to seeing from Beth,” said eight-year Regina head coach Melanie Sanford.

“This was Beth’s second last CIS match, so there was some real intention from her today, it was really important for her to play well, and she did.”

The Huskies meanwhile, leave Edmonton winless, after racking up an 11-7 AUS record during the regular season.

The Halifax-based squad was led by junior left-side Kerri Smit from Shubenacadie, N.S. and by Truro, N.S. native Alison Beaver, also a third-year outside hitter. Both were first-team conference all-stars this season, and they finished the match with seven and four digs respectively.

Atlantic representatives have captured only one CIS title in history (Dalhousie in 1982) and haven’t recorded a quarterfinal victory since 1984 (Dalhousie). In fact, AUS schools haven’t won any matches at the national tournament since Moncton defeated Toronto in consolation action in 2002.

The Cougars were dominant on Saturday, winning the first two sets by scores of 25-18 and 25-15 and clinching the match with an impressive 25-9 win in a third set that saw the team hit for a .600 percentage.

“That was important for us, after losing yesterday, we didn’t want to leave this tournament without playing on Sunday,” noted Sanford.

“It can be very difficult emotionally, and psychologically to respond strongly after losing the first game at a tournament like this, but we wanted to play Sunday, and we wanted to show as well as we could, and now we go into tomorrow feeling confident.”

CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE & RESULTS (all times LOCAL: Mountain Time)

Friday, March 5

Quarter-final #1: No. 1 UBC 3, No. 8 Saint Mary’s 0 (25-17, 25-17, 25-13)
Quarter-final #2: No. 5 Laval 3, No. 4 Regina 0 (25-21, 25-21, 25-19)
Quarter-final #3: No. 3 Manitoba 3, No. 6 Toronto 0 (25-21, 25-20, 25-19)
Quarter-final #4: No. 7 Alberta 3, No. 2 Montreal 0 (25-20, 25-18, 27-25)

Saturday, March 6

Consolation #1: Regina 3, Saint Mary’s 0 (25-18, 25-15, 25-9)
14:30 Consolation #2: No. 6 Toronto vs. No.2 Montreal
18:30 Semi-final #1: No. 1 UBC vs. No. 5 Laval (SSN Canada webcast)
20:00 Semi-final #2: No.3 Manitoba vs. No.7 Alberta (SSN Canada webcast)

Sunday, March 7

12:00 Regina vs. winner Consolation #2
15:00 Bronze medal (SSN Canada webcast)
18:00 Championship final (SSN Canada webcast)


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