WHO’S THE DOG?-SPARTANS OPEN AGAINST GAILS

MEN’S VOLLEYBALL (CIS CHAMPIONSHIP)
THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 2010
TWU SPARTANS VS QUEEN’S GAELS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WHO’S THE DOG?
-SPARTANS OPEN AGAINST GAILS

Championship website: http://english.cis-sic.ca/championships/mvball

Follow Spartans on Twitter: http://twitter.com/TWUSpartans

KAMLOOPS, British Columbia – This Friday at 3 p.m. the No. 7 ranked and fourth seed Trinity Western University Spartans will open their quest for a second CIS men’s volleyball championship against the fifth seed and OUA champion Queens University Gaels at the TCC in Kamloops, B.C.

Going in to the match the biggest question that is yet to be answered is who the underdog is and who is the favourite?

Both teams will argue that the other squad is the more dangerous team and that they need to perform to their best to come out on top in Friday’s contest.

The match-up features two teams with many similarities.

Each program has had experience at the CIS championship, but the current teams are very young with only three players having had experience at Canada’s top university tournament. TWU’s fourth year middle Josh Doornenbal of Edmonton and fourth year rightside Aaron VandenBrink of Langley, B.C. and Queen’s, who have no fourth year players, fifth year middle Sam Pedlow of Barrie, Ont. are the only current players who were at the 2007 championship at McMaster University in Hamilton.

Both teams are led by conference all-stars: TWU has Canada first team All-Star leftside Steven Marshall of Abbotsford, B.C. and second team All-Star Doornenbal, while Queen’s has OUA first team All-Stars outside Joran Zeeman of Cambridge, Ont. and middle Michael Amoroso of Toronto. Zeeman was also named a CIS second team All-Canadian.

They both have had players represent their country, middle Rudy Verhoeff of Calgary and leftside Marc  Howatson of Victoria from TWU and Zeeman and Amoroso from Queen’s all played this past summer’s on Canadian’s junior national team, which placed 12th at the World Championships in Pune, India, while TWU’s Doornenbal played for the Canadian juniors in 2006. In addition TWU’s Marshall wore the nations red and white on the beach this past year at the World U21 Beach Championships in Blackpool, England. Both TWU and Queens each have players who have matched up against each other as representatives of their Provinces at the Canada Summer games tournament. Representing TWU were leftside Paul Lindemulder of Calgary and leftside Mikiah Schalk of Red Deer, Alta. with gold medalist Team Alberta and setter Ben Ball of Abbotsford, B.C., Howatson, Doornenbal and Verhoeff with bronze medalist Team BC and playing with silver medalist Team Ontario and representing Queens were Amoroso, setter Dan Rosenbaum of Hamilton and outside Niko Rukavina of Mississauga, Ont.

In contrast: the Gaels are led by longtime coach Brenda Willis who has been guiding Queens for 23 years, while the Spartans are led by Ben Josephson who is in his third year at the helm of TWU. Queens has won six OUA conference championships, including their third in the five years. Trinity Western on the other hand has only managed one Canada West conference title in 2007.  At the CIS tournament the Spartans have had more success. In their four appearances, between 2004 and 2007, the Spartans have earned four medals including raising the CIS banner in 2006. While in their history the best that the Gaels have done at the national championship is fifth place, which they achieved in 2005-06.

Both teams are hot right now. Queens is currently on a nine match winning streak, with their last loss occurring on Jan. 23 against Waterloo (3-1), while the Spartans have won six of their last nine including knocking off No. 6 Winnipeg and No. 4 Calgary, as well as taking No. 3, and Canada West champion, Alberta to five sets in the gold medal match.

With both teams entering the tournament in fine form the quarter final match could come down to which coach has the best strategy and which team can execute the game plan under tournament conditions. Each team has their strengths and weaknesses. They both can score from the end line and both teams have strong middle’s. The Spartans probably have the edge on the leftside with Marshall and Howatson, while the Gaels most likely have the upper hand on the rightside with Zeeman.

Both schools are also in line for hosting the CIS tournament. TWU is up next year, while Queens will receive the host spot in 2012. Each would no doubt like to head towards those championships with their players having experienced playing in a CIS championship medal match, which will only happen if they come out on top in Friday’s match-up.

Anyway you look at the opening battle, the outcome will probably come down to which team’s “big dogs” step up and take over the match.

SEEDINGS

1. Laval Rouge et Or (QSSF champions: 18-0 regular season / 2-0 playoffs)
2. Alberta Golden Bears (CWUAA champions: 14-4 regular season / 2-0 playoffs)
3. Dalhousie Tigers (AUS champions: 16-2 regular season / 2-0 playoffs)
4. Trinity Western Spartans (CWUAA finalists: 11-7 regular season / 3-2 playoffs)
5. Queen’s Gaels (OUA champions: 16-4 regular season / 3-0 playoffs)
6. Calgary Dinos (CWUAA bronze medallists: 13-5 regular season / 3-1 playoffs)
7. Thompson Rivers WolfPack (Hosts: 10-8 regular season / 2-3 playoffs)
8. Montreal Carabins (QSSF finalists: 9-9 regular season / 2-2 playoffs)

CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE (all times LOCAL: Pacific Time)

Wednesday, March 10

18:00 All-Canadian Banquet (TRU Grand Hall)

Friday, March 12

13:00 Quarter-final #1: No. 1 Laval vs. No. 8 Montreal (SSN Canada)
15:00 Quarter-final #2: No. 4 Trinity Western vs. No. 5 Queen’s (SSN Canada)
18:00 Quarter-final #3: No. 2 Alberta vs. No. 7 Thompson Rivers (SSN Canada)
20:00 Quarter-final #4: No. 3 Dalhousie vs. No. 6 Calgary (SSN Canada)

Saturday, March 13

13:00 Consolation #1: Loser QF #1 vs. Loser QF #2  
15:00 Consolation #2: Loser QF #3 vs. Loser QF #4  
18:00 Semi-final #1: Winner QF #1 vs. Winner QF #2 (SSN Canada)
20:00 Semi-final #2: Winner QF #3 vs. Winner QF #4 (SSN Canada)

Sunday, March 14

13:00 5th place  
15:00 Bronze medal (SSN Canada)
18:00 Championship final (SSN Canada)

About Canadian Interuniversity Sport

Canadian Interuniversity Sport is the national governing body of university sport in Canada. Fifty-two universities, 10,000 student-athletes and 550 coaches vie for 21 national championships in 12 different sports. CIS also provides high performance international opportunities for Canadian student-athletes at Winter and Summer Universiades, as well as numerous world university championships. For further information, visit www.cis-sic.ca.

-TW-

Last Updated: 2010-03-11
Author: Scott Stewart
Email: ssstew@twu.ca