Red Deer, March 6, 2024 – The Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Women’s Volleyball National Championship got off to a great start at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre. The first day featured incredible athleticism, entertaining volleyball fans from across the nation. 

Match 1 - Capilano Blues 3, Nordiques de Lionel-Groulx 2

The opening quarter-final match at the CCAA Women’s Volleyball National Championship went the distance. 

Led offensively by third-year Nnya Mbaoma, the Capilano Blues downed the Lionel-Groulx Nordiques in five sets (19-25, 25-20, 25-19, 19-25 and 15-12) at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre. 

The Capilano Blues, who are the Pacific Western Athletic Association (PACWEST) wildcard entry, received stabilizing defence from fourth-year libero Anika Gatto. Gatto, who is from Coquitlam, recorded 17 digs and helped to transition the ball quickly to the Blues’ offence. 

Capilano’s Mbaoma contributed 14 kills, 12 digs, four blocks and two assists from the outside. Blues’ setter Jayden Easingwood had 36 assists. 

The Nordiques were led offensively by five-foot-10 outside hitter Jade Généreaux. Généreaux contributed 21 kills, 12 digs and two blocks for the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) Champions. Setter Anna Duboc-Ventura recorded 45 assists. Sandrine Methot added 12 kills for the Nordiques. 

Gatto was named the 4imprint Blues Player of the Game

Généreaux received the 4imprint Nordiques Player of the Game award. 

The Blues will play the Lakeland College Rustlers in the semi-finals on Thursday, March 7 at 6 pm. The Nordiques de Lionel-Groulx will face the Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) Blazers at 1 pm in the bronze quarter-final.

Match 2 - Lakeland College Rustlers 3, CMU Blazers 0

The Lakeland College Rustlers have advanced to the semi-finals at the CCAA Women’s Volleyball National Championship. 

With a match leading 15 kills from Lana Matthews, the Rustlers downed the Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) Blazers in three sets (25-11, 25-8, 25-12). 

The Lakeland College Rustlers, who are the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) Champions, also received five kills from Jenay Varga and three from Avery Bates. All-Canadian setter Jana Laing accumulated 18 assists, two of the team’s seven aces, one dig and one kill for the Rustlers. 

The CMU Blazers, who are the Manitoba Colleges Athletic Conference (MCAC) Champions, were led offensively by Layla Reichert and Halle Meisner. Both student-athletes had six kills. Blazers first-year setter Chelsea Stewner contributed 16 assists. 

Matthews was named the 4imprint Rustlers Player of the Game. The five-foot-nine student-athlete was efficient on the outside, achieving a 0.520 hitting percentage. She added four digs and one service ace. 

Rachel Bartel was selected the 4imprint Blazers Player of the Game. The third-year libero from Winnipeg contributed seven digs and one assist. 

The Lakeland College Rustlers will face the Capilano Blues in the semi-finals on Thursday at 6 pm. The CMU Blazers will challenge the Nordiques de Lionel-Groulx at 1 pm in the bronze quarter-final.

Match 3 - Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) Queens 3, Humber Hawks 0

The Red Deer Polytechnic Queens used the energy from the home crowd and won their quarter-final match over the Humber Hawks in three sets (25-22, 25-13 and 25-14).

The Queens were led by outside hitter Emma Holmes, who had a match high 22 kills.

RDP’s setter Emma Letkeman recorded 32 assists and 12 digs. Outside hitter Rachel Perry accumulated seven kills for the Polytechnic. 

Both Keyome Ellis and Te-Anna Stephenson had six kills for the Humber Hawks. The Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) Champions received 15 assists from first-year setter Kennedy Williscroft. Cassidy Andrews chipped in with four kills for the Hawks. 

Holmes was named the 4imprint Queens Player of the Game, adding nine digs and two assists

Second-year libero Reese Cholette received the 4imprint Hawks Player of the Game award. Oakville’s Cholette had 20 digs and five assists. 

The Red Deer Polytechnic Queens will play Vancouver Island University (VIU) Mariners in the semi-finals on Thursday at 8 pm. The Humber Hawks will compete against the University of King’s College (UKC) Blue Devils in the bronze quarter-final at 3 pm.

Match 4 - Vancouver Island University (VIU) Mariners 3, UKC Blue Devils 0

The Vancouver Island University (VIU) Mariners used a balanced attack to defeat the University of King's College (UKC) Blue Devils in three sets (25-10, 25-22, 25-14).

The Mariners, who are Pacific Western Athletic Association (PACWEST) Champions, were led offensively by third-year outside hitter Regan Ingram (13 kills). Megan Duffy added nine kills for VIU.

All-Canadian Linnea Brickwood, VIU’s setter, was named the 4imprint Mariners Player of the Game. Brickwood totaled 31 assists, 11 digs, one block and one of the Mariner’s nine aces. 

All-Canadian Kaitlyn Legault, UKC’s middle, recorded four kills, one ace and three of the team’s five blocks. Third-year setter Claire Traynor contributed 12 assists and four digs for the Blue Devils, the Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association (ACAA) Champions.

Jordyn Exner received the 4imprint Blue Devils Player of the Game. The first-year libero had 13 digs and one assist. 

On Thursday, the VIU Mariners will face the Red Deer Polytechnic Queens in the semi-finals at 8 pm. The Blue Devils will compete against the Humber Hawks in the bronze quarter-final at 3 pm.

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