SPARTANS HOST DEFENDING NATIONAL CHAMPION PANDAS

TWU wvb vs Alberta Pandas

Women's Volleyball (Canada West)
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Weekend Preview

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SPARTANS HOST DEFENDING NATIONAL CHAMPION PANDAS
-Rivalries renewed as two top-ten teams clash

LANGLEY, British Columbia- The Trinity Western University Spartans women's volleyball team will come out of their bye week to face the University of Alberta Pandas this weekend at the David E. Enarson Gymnasium. After having last weekend off, the Spartans return to action looking to beat one of the best that the nation has to offer.

The No.2 ranked Alberta Pandas (4-0) are undefeated and the reigning national champions. Last season they defeated the Spartans in the Canada West semi-final in a five-set thriller before going on to beat Laval in the national final to win their seventh CIS title. This season the Pandas have yet to lose a set after four games, led by a balanced, all-around roster. Jocelyn Blair (4th year, St. Albert, Alta.) leads the Canada West in kills with 4.3 per game and is flanked by the well-rounded Samantha Wojtkiw (4th year, Morinville, Alta.), who frustrates opponents with 2.1 kills per game, 1.14 blocks per game, and a Canada West leading 14 service ace's so far this season. The Pandas have the most service aces in the conference, as Blair and setter Daryll Roper (4th year, St. Albert, Alta.) have also contributed eight apiece so far this season. Defensively the Pandas lean on libero Christine Biggs (5th year, Edmonton), who has 3.11 digs per game, and Jocelyn Blair, who contributes 2.62 digs per contest. The Pandas are experienced and talented in equal amounts and will be as tough a test as there is in the CIS this season.

The No.8 Spartans (3-1) will look to match-up with the Pandas with the hopes off move up in the CIS top-ten. This match-up features the conference's top offense in the Pandas, against the top defense in the Spartans, who allow the opposition to hit a mere .092%. Opponents have had a difficult time hitting around the presence of Team Canada middle Dayna Jansen Van Doorn (4th year, Langley, B.C.), who is the conference leader in blocks with 1.93 per game. Up front the offense features a wide array of options, as the Spartans boast four players with more than two kills per game. Rightside Kim Klassen (3rd year, Abbotsford, B.C.) is the team leader at 2.79 per game, while middle Liz Spear (5th year, Cloverdale, B.C.) and Alicia Van Huizen (5th year, Surrey, B.C.) add 2.5 and 2.4 kills per game respectively. Saralyn Stel (5th year, Delia, Alta.) is fourth on the team with two kills per game. Setter Keanne Tome (4th year, Delta, B.C.) has made a smooth transition into the offense and is fourth in the Canada West with 9.1 assists per game. In the backcourt the trio of Tome, Andrea Ball (2nd year, Abbotsford, B.C.), and Stel combine efforts to save 8.8 digs per game while All-Canadian libero Julie McLeod is out with injury.

Game times are at 7 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday evening.

Change for China

This December the Trinity Western University Women's Volleyball team has been given the opportunity to travel to China with a goal to serve others through the game of volleyball.

"As the TWU Women's Volleyball Team we have been appointed by God to use our talents and abilities to their full potential. We commit to positively impacting each other."

"This is our purpose statement that we live by as a program. We agreed to this trip as a team because we believe what we do in China will achieve what our team is about: impacting not only ourselves, but others." - Saralyn Stel

The team is being hosted by Tianjin University of Technology (TUT) as well as travelling and playing various teams in the country. They have the privilege to compete against some of the top teams in the world. Besides the competitive matches the team has scheduled time with local orphanages and other service organizations

"It is heartbreaking to know that there are children who have been abandoned because of population control. Families in China are restricted to one child, which leaves some children, especially girls and those with disabilities without families We have been given an amazing opportunity to positively affect these children. My goal is to make these kids laugh and smile" - Keanne Tome

The team will be providing Christmas gifts to the students and staff of the Handicapped Children's Center run by the Jian Hua Society- a Christian organization in China. Please consider donating any extra change into the Change for China jar at the ticket booth. Every little bit helps bring another smile to these children's faces.

-TW-

Last Updated: 2008-03-24
Author: Scott Stewart
Email: ssstew@twu.ca