Knights go for gold
Niagara College men’s, women’s volleyball teams open Ontario championships today
Post- season play continues today in volleyball and get underway this weekend in the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association.
Both volleyball teams at Niagara College won cross- over playoff qualifiers last weekend to advance to the men’s and women’s provincial championships in Barrie and Scarborough, respectively.
As the host team of the OCAA men’s basketball championships March 1- 3 in Welland, the Knights are automatically in the eight- team field.
The Niagara women, however, need to clear one more hurdle if they want to end 2017- 18 competing for a medal at provincials. They host a cross- over qualifier 2 p. m. Sunday at the Athletic Centre.
Their opponent will be determined once the final standings in the East Division have been confirmed.
This year’s OCAA Women’s Basketball Championships will be held March 2- 4 at Humber College in Toronto.
Knights stay alive
Niagara swept its way into the Ontario women’s college volleyball championships after coming back from the brink of elimination.
The Knights lost 25- 23 and 2520 sets and were down 2- 0 to the host Algonquin Thunder in qualifyinground action Saturday in Ottawa. Niagara recovered from the slow start by dominating the third set 25- 12 and rebounding from a 2319 deficit to take the fourth set 2725.
The reigning Ontario bronze medallists punched their return ticket to provincials by downing Algonquin 15- 8 in the deciding set.
Niagara head coach Nathan Janzen said it was hard- fought victory.
“Not a single part of the match came easily today,” he said. “We made tons of unforced errors in the first two sets, and Algonquin played fearless volleyball.”
Jordan Koslowski and Rachel Rivers led the Knights with 21 and 19 kills, respectively. They combined to register nearly half of the team’s 86 total kills.
“Overall, I am pleased with the victory, but not satisfied,” Janzen said. “I think we are still capable of playing better volleyball and I’m thankful we will get the chance at the OCAA championships this week.”
Niagara, which finished the regular season sixth in the West Division with an 11- 7, lines up against Fanshawe, second in west, 14- 4; in a 1 p. m. quarterfinal game at the OCAA championships today.
Sweep at home
St. Catharines native and Eden graduate Mitch Sawatsky had a game 13 kills and played a big role getting Niagara to the provincial men’s college volleyball championships.
The 6- foot- 3 outside hitter, Niagara College’s male athlete of the week, also had two service aces and one block. Helping the sophomore in a sweep of Durham — 25- 17, 25- 20, 25- 17 — in an interdivision qualifier was first- year libero Robert Zalewski. He led all players with nine digs.
“I thought our young guys handled the atmosphere and their first career playoff game really well today,” Knights head coach Nathan Groenveld said. “I thought we came out aggressively early and really dictated the style of play for the entire game.
“We were really good defensively and I thought our block was disciplined enough to let us get digs and then turn them into transition kills.”
Niagara, fourth in west, 10- 8; opens provincials today in Barrie with an 8 p. m. quarter- final versus the host Georgian Grizzlies, first in east, 17- 1.
Renowned Redcoat
The Niagara Knights added victories to a win streak, and Mary Ingribelli added her name to the record book.
Back- to- back victories were just part of the story when Niagara closed out the women’s college basketball season at home with a sweep of Sault. Sharing headlines with 83- 27 and 77- 36 decisions that extended a win streak to four was Ingribelli’s knack for finding the basket. The St. Catharines native and Governor Simcoe alum’s game- high 25 points Friday and another 22 points gave her 382 points for the season.
The fourth- year guard broke the previous record of 301 points set in 1980- 81 by Carol St. Angelo, a member of the Knights hall of fame.
Ingribelli, this week’s female athlete of the week and also the all- time leader in three- point scoring at the region’s community college, entered the final week of league play in contention for the West Division scoring crown. Her average of 19.1 points per game was second only to Redeemer forward Jessica Bosma, who was averaging 19.4 heading into a game Wednesday night against Humber.
Niagara ended the regular season with a 14- 6 record.
Back- to- back wins
Graduating senior Levi Mukuna led all players with 23 points while grabbing eight rebounds and collecting six assists in the final regular- season game of his men’s basketball career at Niagara College.
Kevin Cooper, with 15 points, Johnnie Richardson and Deysean Thompson, 13 each, and Jordon McDonald also scored in double digits for Niagara as the Knights defeated the Sault Cougars 107- 77 Saturday to finish league play 13- 7.
Richardson, 21 points, McDonald, 16, Kevin Cooper, 11; Van Hutchinson Jr., Danny Lokole and Jamol Wint, 10 apiece, were top scorers in a 95- 52 victory Friday, also at home against Sault College.