Women's Volleyball downs defending champions in national quarter-final
By: Stefan Gerardi
Humber Athletics Communications
NANAIMO, B.C. – In a thrilling CCAA quarter-final matchup between Humber women's volleyball and the VIU Mariners, the Hawks emerged victorious in four sets (24-26, 25-14, 25-22, 25-21). Despite facing a hostile home crowd and losing the first set, Humber rallied to win the remaining three sets in a tightly contested battle, ending the Mariners' chance at winning their fifth consecutive national title.
Cassidy Andrews topped the team with 11 kills, while Stephanie Armstrong led the way with 38 assists, and Alex Lachapelle posted a team-high 20 digs. Three Hawks co-led with three service aces, including Keyome Ellis, Hannah Manners, and player of the match, Ara Telan.
Match Recap
Humber was set to take on the VIU Mariners in a highly anticipated quarter-final clash at CCAA National Championships. The Hawks came into the tournament as OCAA Champions, while VIU was looking to bounce back after a loss in the PACWEST Championship; however, the Mariners dominated throughout the season with a near-perfect 19-1 record. Although VIU had the advantage of hosting the tournament, the Hawks were determined to come out on top and solidify themselves as the favourites at the dance.
Both sides showed some early game jitters as the opening frame got underway. The teams traded points through the first ten rallies until Humber ended the streak and took an early two-point lead. The Hawks knew it wouldn't be easy against a top-tier opponent such as VIU, and the Mariners showed their strength as they went on a 4-0 run to take a two-point lead of their own. Humber answered and knotted the set again, as neither team could seem to run away with a lead. The teams found themselves trading the lead late into the set, but it was VIU that reached set point first. Humber tied the game at 24 and forced extra points; however, the Mariners had more in the tank and claimed a first-set victory.
The beginning of the second set was identical to that of the first. The teams traded points as the scoreboard read 6-6 through the first 12 rallies of the set. Humber knew they needed to find their rhythm as they were already trailing by a set, and the Hawks reacted by jumping ahead to a three-point lead. The Hawks maintained their multi-point lead late into the set and forced VIU to call a timeout after increasing their cushion to four points. The Mariners' timeout did not affect their performance, as the Hawks went on a dominating 6-0 run to close out the set.
The OCAA Champions silenced the home crowd after overpowering their opponents in the second frame. Humber was looking to keep VIU's fans quiet, but the Mariners had an early advantage after a 4-1 run. After VIU committed sloppy misplays, Humber tied the game and eventually took a slight lead. The Hawks carried their lead late into the third set, but the Mariners weren't going away and were hot on Humber's tail. VIU knotted the set at 21 and claimed the next point to take the lead. Head coach Chris Wilkins called a timeout to motivate his team, and he was able to do just that. Humber went on a 4-0 run after the timeout to win the third frame and put themselves one set victory away from knocking the host team out of the CCAA championship.
VIU was awarded the first points of the fourth set, but Humber could smell a semifinal in their midst and went on a 6-2 run to take an early three-point advantage. The Mariners knew that their CCAA championships dreams were at stake, and they managed to cut the Hawks' lead to one; however, VIU lost their game after a red card was given to their team. The Mariners seemed to lose focus, while the red-hot Hawks had their eyes set on the 25-point plateau. Humber found themselves ahead by a comfortable margin late in the set and battled to a quarter-final triumph. The Mariners made a late push, but the Hawks never let anything swindle their vision of victory, and they asserted their dominance and rolled over VIU on their home court.
The exciting quarter-final clash saw Humber post 40 kills, 12 service aces, 38 assists, and 59 digs in an all-around team effort.
Humber Highlights
- Humber recorded its first victory over VIU in its sixth meeting at nationals.
- The Hawks improve their all-time CCAA quarter-final record to 6-12.
- When taking on PACWEST opponents, Humber's record now stands at 3-11.
- Head coach Chris Wilkins has won his 20th game in the CCAA postseason. The Hawks have 22 CCAA postseason wins in program history.
What's Next?
Humber will advance to the CCAA semifinal round to face the ACAC Champions, the Lakeland Rustlers. First serve is scheduled for 11 p.m. ET and will be streamed live on CCAA Youtube.
