The College of the Rockies Avalanche Men’s Volleyball team won bronze at the PACWEST championships this weekend past, defeating the Camosun Chargers at the tournament hosted by Douglas College in New Westminster.
This is the third year in a row the Avalanche have taken the bronze medal, including last year, with the Championships hosted in Cranbrook.
This year, however, the Avs were hoping for more. The Men’s team were going into the Championship tournament as the top seed, having finished the season at the top of the PACWEST standings.
But on Friday, Feb. 23, COTR was upset in their opening match against the four-seeded hosts, the Douglas College Royals, who, according to pacwestbc.ca, played an outstanding game to take the Avs in three straight sets — 25-17, 25-19, 25-22.
The Avalanche were missing Dylan Annala, a key offensive player, who was injured. Diego Policarpo provided much of the Av’s offence, and indeed was named Player of the Match, Saturday, Feb. 24.
But a trip to the Nationals next month was not to be, and instead the Avalanche faced off against the Camosun Chargers for the Bronze.
Diego Policarpo was again an offensive powerhouse in the Bronze medal match. Pacwest reports Policarpo scored 29 kills, two aces and several digs, while Gustavo Bertoli in his final PACWEST match was named the Player of the Match and had “eight kills and a dominating serve making it difficult for the Chargers to run their offence.”
The Avalanche won the match with set wins of 25-21, 26-24, 30-32, 25-20.
The Chargers themselves are off to Nationals, as their hosting the CCAA tournament at their home court at Camosun College in Victoria.
Meanwhile, the VIU Mariners, seeded second, defeated Douglas in the Gold Medal match, and will play for the National Championship.
On the Women’s side, the VIU Mariners also won Gold in New Westminster defeating the Capilano Blues (who settle for Silver) in three straight sets, and will head to Nationals. The Camosun Chargers took the Bronze medal match over the host Douglas Royals.
The COTR Avalanche women’s team finished the season out of the playoffs.
With files from pacwestbc.ca