Spartans Win Consolation Side

Women’s Volleyball (CIS Consolation Match)
Saturday, March 04, 2006
TWU Spartans (3) vs. the University of Alberta Golden Bears (2)
(24-26, 25-22, 25-22, 15-25, 15-7)

Spartans Win Consolation Side
TWU tops Alberta 3-2 as Spartans close out CIS Nationals

CALGARY – The Trinity Western University Spartans edged the University of Alberta Pandas 3-2 (24-26, 25-22, 25-22, 15-25, 15-7) to claim the Consolation Championship at the 2006 CIS Women’s Volleyball Championships. The match was a battle of a pair of Canada West teams that met in the semi-final of the Conference Final Four tournament last weekend at UBC that saw Alberta win in five sets.
 
"Today’s match was a great way to finish off our season and spur some momentum going into next year,” said TWU Head Coach Carol Hofer. “We showed a lot of character and a lot of heart today to come out really excited and motivated to play a 5th 6th game."

Alberta won a hard fought opening set 26-24 in a set that saw neither take a large margin at any point of the set.

The second set saw the Pandas lead 16-12 at the second technical break before TWU gained momentum. The Spartans took eight of the next ten points leading 20-18 forcing the Pandas to take a timeout.

Alberta responded with three straight points leading 21-20 that led to a TWU timeout.

Strong serves from Leigh Dreher kept Alberta off balance and the Spartans regained the lead 23-21. After an Alberta point making the score 23-22, the Spartans came back with a pair of points winning the set evening the match on All-Canadian Liz Spear’s kill.

The Pandas led 8-6 at the first break in set three but the Spartans took control going on an impressive 10-2 run and led 16-10 at the break. TWU led 24-19 and appeared to have control. A service error provided spark for the Pandas who responded with solid net play taking the next three points forcing the Spartans to burn a timeout with the score 24-22. A kill by Jodi Schaufele gave the Spartans 25-22 win in the third set.

Alberta held 8-7 and 16-12 margins in the fourth set before taking control winning 25-15 thanks to strong play from Tiffany Dodds and Jocelyn Blair.

The fifth and deciding was Trinity Western’s from the outset. With the score tied at 2-2 the Spartans reeled off seven straight points taking a 9-2 margin and did not allow Alberta back into the contest winning 15-7 claiming the set and match.
 
The Spartans gained valuable experience in their first CIS national championship. TWU will only lose fifth year middle Rhonda Schmuland to graduation, so the experience gained this year will go a long way into the development on next year’s team. “Rhonda is the only one that graduates and she's helped set a culture of work ethic and discipline that I think is going to help motivate some players for next year, so that's a good legacy to leave. The ones who are here have gained some experience and now know what it's like to play at the National Championship and I think that will motivate them to start working hard,” said Hofer.

The Spartans served extremely tough nine service aces many at key times in the match.

Amanda Atkinson was solid for the Pandas with 11 digs and 14 digs.

Spear was the Player of the Match for Trinity Western while Dodds was for Alberta.

Quckie Statistical Leaders:
Trinity Western:
Kills: Liz Spear 17
Digs: Julie Blackburn 18
Blocks: Liz Spear 3 solo, 2 combined
Assists: Anna Paddock 43

Alberta:
Kills: Amanda Atkinson and Tasha Hollness 11
Digs: Amanda Atkinson 14
Blocks: Tasha Hollness 2, 9 combined
Assists: Tiffany Dodds 27

-TW-

Last Updated: 2009-02-16
Author: Scott Stewart
Email: ssstew@twu.ca