Going For PACWEST Gold

The final six men's teams are ready to make a run at Provincial GOLD. Here is a closer look at the teams that will open the Championship beginning on Thursday.

1 VIU Mariners

For the second straight season the VIU Mariners finished first in the Conference behind a balance and dangerous offensive attack that features four PACWEST All-Stars and a pair of All-Rookie Team members. Last season they finished with silver on their home floor fuelling their hunger for this season.

PACWEST Record: 20-4
Sets – 66-25
Home – 9-3, Road – 11-1

Players to Watch:

7 Braydon Brouwer: He once again was simply outstanding this season. He was named a First Team All-Star behind 253 kills and 306 total offensive points. He added 18 aces and 35 blocks.

3 Jeff Webb: He led the Mariners with 306 kills, one of only two PACWEST players to reach the 300 plateau. His 376 total offensive points were second most in the Conference and even added 37 service aces.

12 Doug Groenendijk: A force at the net leading his club with 55 blocks, second most in the PACWEST. He has some offensive punch as well making the Mariners an extremely dangerous team.

Longest Conference winning streak – 8 straight matches from January 20 to February 16

Last FIVE playoff Matches:
2017 – CCAA Bronze Semi-Final – Loss – 3-0 Medicine Hat
2017 – CCAA Championship Semi-Final – Loss – 3-1 Red Deer
2017 – CCAA Championship Quarterfinal – Win – 3-0 Mohawk
2017 – PACWEST Gold Medal Match – Loss – 3-1 Camosun Chargers
2017 – PACWEST Semi-Final – Win – 3-0 Douglas Royals

2 Capilano Blues

They had the most impressive turnaround from a season ago finishing with 18 points more than last year and captured a bye into a PACWEST semi-final. The key to their success has been the confidence as a team and in each other.

PACWEST Record: 19-5
Sets – 61-29
Home – 10-2, Road – 9-3

Players To Watch:

2 Simon Friesen: He was named the PACWEST Player of the Year for good reason. As the setter and quarterback of the offence Friesen was a big reason for the Blues balanced attack knowing which of the player makers to get the ball to.

10 Zarley Zalusky: He’s a PACWEST First Team All-Star after 41 service aces and 56 blocks. He’s an outstanding two-way player who understands positioning and led the Blues with 273 total offensive points.

9 Jacob Hopkins: Just a rookie but played this PACWEST season like a veteran accounting for 192 total offensive points.
Longest Conference winning streak – 7 straight matches to open the season surprising most from October 13 to November 3rd.

Last FIVE playoff Matches:
2017 – PACWEST Quarterfinal – Loss – 3-0 Camosun Chargers
2016 – PACWEST Quarterfinal – Loss – 3-1 VIU Mariners
2015 – PACWEST Quarterfinal – Loss – 3-2 VIU Mariners
2014 – PACWEST Quarterfinal – Loss – 3-1 COTR Avalanche
2013 – CCAA National Bronze Semi-Final – Loss 3-1 SAIT Trojans

3 Camosun Chargers

The three-time defending champions find themselves in a familiar seeding, the same spot they were last year. Teams can never count out the Chargers who always seem to raise their level of play come playoff time.

PACWEST Record: 13-11
Sets – 48-44
Home – 8-4, Road – 5-7

Players to Watch:

3 Jerome Cross: He was the main source of the Chargers offence with 267 kills and 299 offensive points. He was also very smart of the defensive side with 137 digs.

1 Rian Plante: He was named a PACWEST Second Team All-Star following a season that saw him collect 202 kills and 184 digs. He’s a leader on the floor that has tremendous experience playing in big time playoff matches.

9 Eduardo Bida: He was a late addition to the roster for Charles Parkinson’s squad and he’s paid off. In the 30 sets he’s played he’s averaging over four kills a set and has 140 offensive points.

Longest Conference winning streak – 6 straight matches to propel them into the top three from January 25 to February 10th

Last FIVE playoff Matches:
2017 – CCAA Bronze Semi-Final – Loss – 3-0 – Fanshawe
2017 – CCAA Championship Semi-Final – Loss – 3-0 Limoilou
2017 – CCAA Championship Quarterfinal – Win – 3-2 Medicine Hat
2017 – PACWEST Gold Medal Match – Win – 3-1 VIU Mariners
2017 – PACWEST Semi-Final – Win – 3-1 UFV Cascades

4 UFV Cascades

For the first time in their school history the Cascades will host this tournament and are hoping for big things because of it. They will have the primetime spot on Thursday night playing in front of their faithful at 8:00pm against the Douglas Royals.

PACWEST Record: 12-12
Sets – 43-50
Home – 5-7, Road – 7-5

Players to Watch:

5 Nick Bruce: In his final PACWEST season he was simply outstanding leading the Cascades with 262 kills and 314 total offensive points. He also chipped in with 35 blocks and 160 digs. He was named a PACWEST First Team All-Star.

10 Ben Friesen: He’s a great 1-2 punch with Bruce collecting 226 kills and 255 offensive points. He’s a smart defensive player that knows positioning collecting 177 digs.

16 Dayton Pagliericci: He’s a big body at 6’6 and can plug a lot of holes in the middle. Following their final home game he proposed to his girlfriend on the same floor he’s called home for his University career.

Longest Conference winning streak – 4 straight matches from November 11 to November 25.

Last FIVE playoff Matches:
2017 – PACWEST Bronze Medal Match – Loss – 3-2 Douglas Royals
2017 – PACWEST Semi-Final – Loss – 3-1 Camosun Chargers
2016 – PACWEST Quarterfinals – Loss – 3-1 COTR Avalanche
2015 – PACWEST Quarterfinals – Loss – 3-2 CBC Bearcats
2013 – PACWEST Quarterfinals – Loss – 3-1 Camosun Chargers

5 Douglas Royals

They are the defending PACWEST bronze medalists and are looking for more this weekend. They limp into the playoffs losing four in a row but have high expectations and will play the “underdog” card.

PACWEST Record: 11-13
Sets – 48-46
Home – 5-7, Road – 6-6

Players To Watch

7 Reid Marriott: Just a rookie but a tremendous athlete winning the PACWEST Rookie of the Year award. He led the PACWEST with 359 kills and 417 total offensive points; the only player to score over 400 points this season.

5 Justin Faester: He was a nice compliment to Marriott this season and collected 226 total offensive points and 190 kills

8 Eric Sundmark: He was very good at the net with 40 blocks and will need to play very large against the Cascades on Thursday.
Longest Conference winning streak – 6 straight matches from January 19 to February 3.

Last FIVE playoff Matches:
2017 – PACWEST Bronze Medal Match – Win – 3-2 UFV Cascades
2017 – PACWEST Semi-Final – Loss – 3-0 VIU Mariners
2017 – PACWEST Quarterfinal – Win – 3-2 COTR Avalanche
2016 – CCAA Bronze Medal Match – Loss - 3-0 Fanshawe Falcons
2016 – CCAA Bronze Semi-Final – Win – 3-1 Camosun Chargers

6 COTR Avalanche

They will make the 10 hour bus trip to Abbotsford and will be ready to face the three-time defending champion Camosun Chargers on Thursday afternoon. They will need to play a near flawless match to upset the champs.

PACWEST Record: 5-19
Sets – 24-62
Home – 3-9, Road – 2-10

Players To Watch

1 Matt Cespedes: He led his club with 201 kills during the regular season and did have 24 service aces.

17 Breno Fabbri: Named to the PACWEST All-Rookie Team as a big body at the net. He collected 45 blocks to lead his team.

13 Julio Lins: He has the ability to take over a match and has shown moments of brilliance over the course of the regular season. If he can play consistent the Avalanche could have that “X” factor.

Longest Conference winning streak – They did not string two wins together

Last FIVE playoff Matches:
2017 – PACWEST Quarterfinal – Loss – 3-2 Douglas Royals
2016 – PACWEST Semi-Finals – Loss – 3-0 Camosun Chargers
2016 – PACWEST Quarterfinals – Win – 3-2 UFV Cascades
2014 – PACWEST Bronze Medal Game – Win 3-2 Camosun Chargers
2014 – PACWEST Semi-Final – Loss – 3-0 CBC Bearcats