Women's Volleyball 2010-11
hereSilver Lining to Golden Volleyball Weekend
Blazer Volleyball Teams Take Silver at MCAC Finals – CMU Athletes Named as MCAC All Conference SelectionsThere was a measure of accomplishment and a measure of disappointment in the weekend’s MCAC Final Four Championships at Red River College for the CMU volleyball teams, held March 4-5, 2011.
After a series of back and forth battles with the CUSB Voyageurs that stretch back several seasons, the CMU men entering as the #2 team made short work of their cross-river rivals from St-Boniface, winning 3-0 (25-21, 25-15, 25-19) to advance to Saturday’s gold medal match. The Blazers were led by Todd Reimer’s 11 kills and 3 digs and Josh Krueger’s 8 kills and 4 digs. It was a major accomplishment to play well under pressure for the CMU men and that confidence allowed Mark Kliewer’s 7-5 team to keep their foot on the pedal in Saturday’s gold medal match.
On the women’s side, CMU was the odds on favourite to comfortably cruise to a third-consecutive title. With a record of 15-1, the Blazers only loss of the season came in a tie-breaking set at Providence College in February. Their first-round opponents were Assiniboine Community College from Brandon. Despite dropping the third set 22-25, the Blazers had little trouble righting the ship in the fourth set to record a 3-1 victory and sail into the Saturday’s gold medal match – a meeting with the only team to tarnish their perfect season, Providence College.A capacity crowd of more than 600 fans packed Red River College to witness the championship matches on Saturday evening. CMU’s women’s team jumped out to a 25-19 first set win on the back of some consistent serving from League MVP Evelyn Kampen, only to see Providence emerge in the second set with a 25-23 win. The two combatants exchanged wins in the third and fourth set, preparing the way for a monumental tie-break with the Championships hanging in the balance. Providence middle Victoria Ryshytylo, later selected tournament MVP, was the dominant figure in the final set, pushing the #3 ranked Freemen on to victory, while the defending-champions had to settle for silver. Freemen’s Jessica Hamm and fourth-year Blazer Kirsten Hamm were named players of the game.
The men’s match was equally thrilling and high on confidence, CMU was certainly ready to challenge for gold. The three-time defending champions and undefeated Red River Rebels were a formidable opposition. The teams see-sawed through the first match, exchanging points, serves, and sideouts. The Rebels eventually emerged to take the first set 27-25 and a 1-0 lead. But the Blazers battled back. Great defense from Nick Reimer, Todd Reimer, and all-conference libero Josh Ewert, propelled CMU to a 25-21 win in a match delayed 15 minutes due to an on-court injury suffered by Rebel middle David Glass. Glass collided with a teammate at 17-18 and was not able to return to action until the third set. League MVP Tom Oosterveen provided the muscle for the Rebels down the stretch and despite the incredible defensive plays at the net and in the backrow, CMU was unable to get back on the front-foot. The Rebels took the third set 25-20 and the fourth set 25-15 to win gold on home court. Rebel Tom Oosterveen and Blazer Todd Reimer were named players of the game.Four CMU Athletes Named to All Conference Selections
Saturday’s awards ceremony saw MCAC name four CMU athletes to all conference selections: League MVP Evelyn Kampen (WVB), Clare Schellenberg (WVB), Josh Ewert (MVB), and Shawn Franz (MVB).
Competing in the Manitoba Colleges Athletic Conference, CMU plays in a league comprised of nine universities and colleges in Manitoba and Minnesota. CMU is also a member of the Association of Christian College Athletics (ACCA). CMU Blazer teams compete in soccer, volleyball, and basketball from September to March, playing MCAC league games as well as a number of tournaments with universities and colleges in Canada and the US.
Date posted March 10, 2011
CMU GOES FOR GOLD
The 2011 MCAC Women’s and Men’s Volleyball Championships will take place this Friday and Saturday at Red River College’s Notre Dame Campus. Your top-ranked CMU women’s volleyball team will take to the court in semi-final #1 against fourth-ranked Assiniboine Community College from Brandon, Manitoba. The Cougars will rely heavily on outside hitters Rhyleigh Gabrielle and Amanda Chambers, who have been consistent attackers all season. As defending champions, CMU will be led by fourth-years Evelyn Kampen and Kirsten Hamm. The CMU women will take the court in their conference semi on Friday afternoon at 2 pm against the Cougars.Ranked as the #2 team, the Blazer men are preparing for an epic showdown with the third-place St-Boniface Voyageurs. The two teams have quite a rivalry dating back to last season’s conference semi, when St-Boniface upset CMU in Brandon to qualify for the gold-medal match. This season, CMU found retribution in their first meeting in October, but were then eliminated from the Western Canadian Championships by les Voyageurs in a non-conference tournament at Saskatoon in November. This month the two teams split matches, setting up this massive semi-final tilt. The Voyageurs recently welcomed back all-conference setter Robert Mogg. Mogg is in a class of his own in the MCAC, and his decision-making certainly adds venom to some already potent outside hitters. Closing blocks and back-row defense will be a key ingredient in CMU’s game-plan if they hope to qualify for Saturday’s Gold Medal Match. The two teams take the court on Friday afternoon at 4pm, also at Red River’s Notre Dame Campus.
2011 MCAC Volleyball Championship Schedule
Friday, March 4th
Women’s Semi-Final #1
Featuring #1 CMU vs. #4 Assiniboine
Match Time – 2 pm
Men’s Semi-Final #1
Featuring #2 CMU vs. #3 College Universitaire de St-Boniface
Match Time – 4 pm
Women’s Semi-Final #2
Featuring #2 Red River vs. #3 Providence College
Match Time – 6 pm
Men’s Semi-Final #2
Featuring #1 Red River vs. #4 Assiniboine
Saturday, March 5th
Women’s Bronze Medal Match
Teams to be determined
Match Time – 2 pm
Men’s Bronze Medal Match
Teams to be determined
Match Time – 4 pm
Women’s Gold Medal Match
Teams to be determined
Match Time – 6 pm
Men’s Gold Medal Match
Teams to be determined
Match Time – 8 pm
Date Feb 28, 2011
BLAZERS MAKE SHORT WORK OF PROVIDENCE
CMU continued to show their dominance of the Manitoba in women’s college volleyball, defeating Providence College in straight-sets in a match that last just more than an hour (25-16, 25-20, 25-11). The Blazers were led offensively by middle Breanne Giesbrecht who collected 8 kills, while power-hitters Evelyn Kampen and Lindsay Braul added 7 kills apiece in the win. The victory pushes CMU to 11-0 in conference play, with a 97% success rate in games won. CMU travels to Providence on Friday night in the rubber match of this community challenge. The Freemen hope that home court and a vocal home crowd can provide a spark of inspiration to their rotation. Date Feb 4, 2011
CMU MOVES TO 10-0
Fourth-year power Evelyn Kampen registered 17 kills on Friday night as CMU widened the gap between themselves and second-place Red River with a 3-0 win (25-14, 25-10, 25-19) over the Rebels. For the Blazers, it was their first action since returning from the Adidas Cup in Oshawa, where they posted a record of 3-1-1 in their group before falling to the national ranked (#5) Humber Hawks in the tournament semifinal. The Blazers displayed their utter dominance of their home province in Friday's straight-set win, having little difficulty with the Rebels. Right-side Amy Nachtigall led Red River with 6 kills in the loss.Little changed in Saturday afternoon's rubber-match, as CMU pushed their conference record to 10-0 with yet another straight-set win (25-17, 26-24, 25-17). The Rebels were poised to take a game from the high-powered Blazers in the second set, when they led 21-14 and forced CMU head coach Andrea Charbonneau into a time-out. The ensuing side-out gave CMU setter Kathleen Vitt service, and the third-year product of Lord Selkirk served the Blazers back into the set on three consecutive aces.
Without the presence of Clare Schellenberg, who was forced out of the CMU rotation due to a knee injury, first-year Regina-product Lindsay Braul was given her first offensive opportunity of the season and did not disappoint, finishing second to Kampen in total match kills. Braul has figured regularly in the CMU backrow as the team libero.
The next home action for the Blazers is Wednesday, February 2nd when they host the third-place Providence Freemen at 6:30 pm.
Date January 24, 2011
Blazers Burn Bright in “Big Smoke”
It was a new challenge and a great result for the CMU women’s volleyball team last weekend as they travelled to southern Ontario to participate in the prestigious Adidas Cup Challenge at Durham College last weekend. Undefeated in Manitoba league play, the confident Blazers were fully aware that the OCAA, the largest intercollegiate conference in Canada, would pose a challenge unlike any they have faced to date this season.With two consecutive Adidas Cup titles to their merit, The Humber College Hawks breezed through pool play ending with a record of 5-0. Boasting an enrollment of over 21,000 students, the Toronto-based college is currently ranked fifth amongst all Canadian colleges.
On the opposite side of the draw, CMU had a nice run of their own in pool play. The Blazers sported a record of 3-1-1 through pool play, winning matches against Canadore College (North Bay), St. Clair College (Windsor), and Durham College (Oshawa), while splitting sets with Georgian College (Barrie) and losing to Mohawk College (Hamilton), leaving them second in their grouping behind Mohawk and awarding CMU a semi-final berth against mighty Humber.
CMU shocked the Hawks in the first set winning 25-18, but Ontario’s top team battled back to sweep the next three sets 25-14, 25-14, 25-16. Humber would go on to defeat Mohawk in straight sets to win their third consecutive Adidas Cup. Third-year setter Kathleen Vitt was the lone Blazer to be selected as a tournament all-star.
Date January 16, 2011
CMU WINS GOLD AT WESTERN CANADIAN COLLEGE CHAMPIONSHIPS
The CMU women’s volleyball team returned from Saskatoon this week bearing first-place medals from the 2010 Western Canadian College Volleyball Championships hosted by SIAST (Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology). CMU defeated the Kelsey Amaruks in Saturday’s championship final in straight sets, 25-19, 25-14. “This was a great tournament for us” said an exuberant CMU head coach Andrea Charbonneau, herself a former university athlete at the University of Winnipeg. “It was a very well-organized tournament. Our whole team contributed to this trophy and that is why it feels so great to win.”First-year left-side Clare Schellenberg of Winnipeg was selected tournament MVP and libero Lindsay Braul of Regina received honors for CMU, being selected as a tournament all-star. On route to the finals, CMU defeated Great Plains College (Swift Current, SK) Millar College (Pambrun, SK) and St. Mary’s University College (Calgary, AB) in pool play. In Saturday’s playoffs, CMU defeated Ambrose University College (Calgary, AB) 25-10, 25-12 and Millar College 25-11, 25-8. The tournament featured teams from across Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Other Manitoba entries included Assiniboine Community College of Brandon and College Universitaire de St-Boniface.
The next action for the CMU women will be January 14-15 when they travel to Ontario to compete in the Adidas Cup Challenge at Durham College in Oshawa.
Women Volleyball Photos
Date November 30, 2010
CMU Women Stay Undefeated
The paths of the two remaining undefeated MCAC women’s volleyball teams finally intersected last weekend at Red River College, with CMU coming out on top in matches their Friday and Saturday matches. The Blazers leave the weekend, and the first-half of the MCAC season, sporting a perfect 8-0 record after defeating the Red River in straight sets 3-0, by scores of 25-17, 25-12, 25-14 and on Saturday 3-0, by scores of 25-22, 25-12, 25-12. First-year power Clare Schellenberg was once again the offensive leader for CMU. Clare posted 16 kills over three matches on Friday and followed that performance with 14 kills on Saturday. Not far behind was Evelyn Kampen who finished with 10 kills in the opening match and 14 in the finale. Second-year right-side Kristen Postma has continued to show consistency, recording 6 kills on Friday night.
The Blazers take their show on the road to Saskatoon this weekend where they are participating in the Western Canadian College Volleyball Championships on Friday and Saturday. Ranked #1 and grouped with Great Plains College (Swift Current, SK) Millar College (Pambrun, SK) and St. Mary’s University College (Calgary, AB) in the 12 team women’s draw. “Our goal is certainly to win and we have the potential and depth to do it”, explains head coach Andrea Charbonneau. “Passing will be important for us as well as free-ball transition. We will really count on consistent play from our outside hitters and our libero if we are going to return with the banner.” All matches take place at The Saskatoon Kinsmen/Henk Ruys Soccer Centre, 219 Primrose Drive.
Womens Volleyball Photos vs Red River Nov 20
Date November 23, 2010
West-Man Sweep For CMU
Things kept rolling along for the CMU women’s volleyball team this weekend against Assiniboine Community College in Brandon. First-year power hitter Clare Schellenberg paced the Blazers to victory in straight sets by scores of 25-13, 25-8, 25-16 in match one and 25-9, 25-20, 25-15 in match two. The 6’2 native of Southern Ontario led her undefeated side with 21 kills in the six sets played. Her left-side teammate Evelyn Kampen wasn’t far behind, picking up 11 kills in the second match while Maxine Delaney added 5 kills in the win.“They are a bit depleted by injuries, but overall we are really playing well right now,” commented CMU coach Andrea Charbonneau, “We are a tight-knit group and the success we are having is a tribute to the dedication of our team and the support that each of them have for one another.”
Other noteworthy statistics from the weekend series were the six kills in the opening three-set match from second-year middle Breanne Giesbrecht and the six digs from first-year libero Lindsay Braul. CMU moved to 6-0 on Wednesday night with another straight set victory at St-Boniface University College, by scores of 25-10, 25-18, 25-14.
Womens Volleyball Photos Nov 13
Date November 19, 2010
CMU SERVES STRAIGHT-SET WIN
Fourth-year middle Kirsten Hamm led CMU to a straight-set win over Providence College on Friday evening in MCAC women’s volleyball action by a score of 3-0 (25-27, 25-18, 25-19). Hamm recorded 7 stuff blocks, including 5 solo blocks, and added 3 kills in the three set match. “Kirsten has really played well for us,” said Andrea Charbonneau, CMU’s head coach. “She has come into the season more dedicated than ever, and it is really showing in her play.” First-year left side Clare Schellenberg was a dominant force, picking up 6 kills while fourth-year power Evelyn Kampen added 5 for the Blazers.
While CMU handled the Freemen without much difficulty in the first two sets, Providence had the upper hand in much of game three. Trailing 10-15, CMU mounted a major comeback. Schellenberg took over from the service line with the score 18-19 and finished the match for CMU on 7 service points. “Our serving was much improved tonight,” added Charbonneau. “It has been something that we have really focused on in training and it is rewarding to see us serve the way we did. We are going to be difficult to beat if we continue to cut back our service errors.” The Blazers managed a mere three errors in the match from service.
Womens Vball Photos Oct 22
Date October 27, 2010
Women’s Volleyball Adds Power
The CMU Women’s Volleyball team is pleased to announce the commitment of 6’2 left side Clare Schellenberg for the upcoming season. A graduate of Rockway Mennonite Collegiate in Ontario, Schellenberg played her club volleyball with Kitchener-Waterloo Predators. “I was looking for a smaller university that had a strong faith-base and athletic program,” said Schellenberg. “I knew from watching my sister attend CMU that this was where I wanted to go.”
Upon her high school graduation, Schellenberg spent 2009-2010 volunteering with Mennonite Central Committee in Kenya.
“Clare is an all-around player who will provide consistency and strength on our left-side,“ commented CMU women’s head coach Andrea Charbonneau. “We are excited to have her join CMU and she will be a key-component in our program this year and in the years to come.”
Date Spet 8, 2010