FINAL CIS championship: UBC four-peats, sets all-time record with 8th national title

Final	1	2	3	4	5	Final
UBC (3)	25	25	25			3
Laval (0)	16	18	14			0

UBC	Laval
K: Kyla Richey - 16 B: Mariah Bruinsma - 6 D: Briana Liau kent - 12 SA: 2 Players (#4, #7 - 2)	K: 2 Players (#5, #15 - 7) B: 2 Players (#13, #15 - 1) D: Joany L.-Bellemare - 10 SA: Sarah L.-Levesque - 3

TEAM STATISTICS	UBC	Laval
Hitting %	.352	.034
Blocks	8.0	1.0
Digs	41	40
Aces	8	4

full stats

Photo credit Yan Dublet

QUEBEC CITY (CIS) – The top-seeded University of British Columbia Thunderbirds became the most decorated team in CIS women’s volleyball history thanks to a dominating, straight-set gold medal win (25-16, 25-18, 25-14) over the tournament host and No. 3 Laval Rouge et Or, Sunday afternoon, at PEPS Stadium. 
 
Championship website: http://english.cis-sic.ca/championships/wvball
 
It marked the eighth national title for the T-Birds since the inaugural CIS championship in 1970, one more than Alberta and Winnipeg. UBC had previously been crowned in 2010 in Edmonton, 2009 and 2008 in Fredericton, 1978 in Moncton, 1977 in Waterloo, 1974 at home in Vancouver, and 1973 in Wolfville, N.S.
 
UBC’s four-year championship run is the third longest in history, trailing only the six consecutive banners won by Alberta (1995-2000) and Winnipeg (1983-1988).
 
Playing in the final match of her stellar university career, Canadian national team member Jen Hinze was named game MVP for the winning side. Tournament-MVP honours went to teammate Shanice Marcelle, who was named CIS player of the year prior to the championship.
 
The Rouge et Or, who improve from a bronze medal finish in 2010, saw their season end in straight sets against UBC for the third consecutive year, following 3-0 semifinal losses to the T-Birds in both 2010 and 2009. The Quebec champions were playing in their first national final since 2007, when they lost 3-1 to Alberta. They captured their lone CIS title in 2006 with a four-set victory over UBC.
 
It looked early on as though the game would be tight, both teams exchanging points in turn. However, with a mark of 8-8, UBC scored five straight points to build a comfortable 13-8 lead.
Laval narrowed it down to 13-16, but subsequently suffered from the T-Birds strike force. The Canada West champions scored six in a row putting the set out of reach and eventually taking it 25-16.
 
In the second stanza, UBC maintained a four or five-point lead early on, but saw the RSEQ champions bring it back to within two at 17-15. The Thunderbirds once again found the resources to distance Laval and easily took a 2-0 priority with a 25-18 win.
 
The Rouge et Or had a really hard time trying to get back in the match, giving up a 5-0 priority to start the third set. At one point, UBC held an 18-6 lead, en route to an easy 25-14 win to claim the championship.
 
“I give credit to the players for taking in and putting on the court what we talked about in advance,” said UBC head coach Doug Reimer. “A basic sort of approach was what we needed against Laval; we’re more physical than they generally are. We did a pretty good job in all skill areas. Defensively, the Rouge et Or can be excellent and we had to try and match that and limit their opportunities to get the energy from the crowd and get their emotions going.”
 
“We always believed in it,” assured Laval’s coach Alain Pelletier. We started off how we wanted to, but we would have needed to put more pressure on them. We had some problems in service reception. We will digest the loss, and have a look at the process from day one. We worked hard today, and we can’t take that away from us.”
 
Catherine Laurin was named Laval’s game MVP.
 
Hinze joined Marcelle on the championship all-star team, along with UBC teammate Kyla Richey, Laval’s Mélanie Savoie and Marie-Christine Mondor, Trinity Western’s Lauren O'Reilly, and Alberta’s Jaki Ellis.
 
UBC’s Brina Derksen-Bergen received the R.W. Pugh Fair Play Award.
 
GAME NOTES: Marcelle followed in the footsteps of UBC great Liz Cordonier, who last year pulled off the “double-double” when she was named CIS player of the year and MVP of the CIS championship... McMaster University will host the 2012 CIS women’s volleyball championship in Hamilton, Ontario...
 
STAT LEADERS
 
UBC
Kills: Kyla Richey (16), Shanice Marcelle (13)
Points: Kyla Richey (18), Shanice Marcelle (14)
Blocks: Mariah Bruinsma (3,5)
Digs: Briana Liau Kent (12)
Service aces: Brina Derksen-Bergen, Rayel Quiring (2)
Assists: Brina Derksen-Bergen (37)
 
Player of the match: Jen Hinze
 
Laval
Kills: Marie-Christine Mondor (7), Mélanie Savoie (7)
Points: Marie-Christine Mondor (7,5)
Blocks: Sophie Dallaire, Marie-Christine Mondor (0,5)
Digs: Joany Leblanc-Bellemare (10)
Service aces: Sarah Létourneau-Lévesque (3)
Assists: Sarah Létourneau-Lévesque (23)
 
Player of the match: Catherine Laurin
 
CHAMPIONSHIP ALL-STARS
 
Tournament MVP: Shanice Marcelle, UBC
 
R.W. Pugh Fair Play Award: Brina Derksen-Bergen, UBC
 
Tournament All-Stars:
 
Jaki Ellis, Alberta
Lauren O’Reilly, Trinity Western
Mélanie Savoie, Laval
Shanice Marcelle, UBC
Marie-Christine Mondor, Laval
Jen Hinze, UBC
Kyla Richey, UBC
 
CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
 
Friday, March 4
 
Quarter-final #1: UBC 3, Sherbrooke 1 (25-13, 25-18, 23-25, 25-12)
Quarter-final #2: Alberta 3, Montreal 1 (18-25, 25-23, 25-20, 25-22)
Quarter-final #3: Trinity Western 3, Western Ontario 2 (25-23, 19-25, 25-18, 19-25, 15-8)
Quarter-final #4: Laval 3, UNB 1 (27-25, 23-25, 25-15, 25-17)
 
Saturday, March 5
 
Consolation #1: Montreal 3, Sherbrooke 0 (25-22, 25-18, 25-17)
Consolation #2: Western Ontario 3, UNB 0 (25-23, 25-21, 25-22)
Semifinal #1: UBC 3, Alberta 0 (25-17, 25-15, 25-22)
Semifinal #2: Laval 3, Trinity Western 1 (27-25, 19-25, 28-26, 25-19)
 
Sunday, March 6
 
5th place: Montreal 3, Western Ontario 1 (25-22, 25-14, 22-25, 28-26)
Bronze medal: Trinity Western 3, Alberta 1 (25-14, 25-19, 18-25, 25-20)
Championship final: UBC 3, Laval 0 (25-16, 25-18, 25-14)
 
 
-CIS-