Chargers roll into final as defending champions exit
The Camosun Chargers will have a chance to claim their first national championship in front of their home fans as the locals will face the Lakeland College Rustlers in the Canadian Colleges Athletic Association women’s volleyball final tonight at 8 at PISE gym.
The host and No. 7-ranked Chargers disposed of the Grande Prairie College Wolves 3-0 (25-17, 28-26, 26-24) before a raucous crowd at the Interurban campus.
Lakeland College knocked off the No. 1-ranked Vancouver Island University Mariners 3-0 (25-19, 25-22, 25-21) in the earlier semifinal. The Lloydminster, Alta., school came into the event ranked No. 4 while the Mariners were No. 1 in Canada for the entire year, looking to win a second straight national title.
“That was one of the most intense matches I’ve ever played in, regardless of the 3-0 win. There was a huge battle from both sides of the court and it was awesome to play in,” said fourth-year outside hitter Michelle Aygmunt, who was named Camosun player of the game and ended the match with the final kill.
That set the gym off into a frenzy, which will spill over into tonight.
“I thought that we hung around long enough and we found that extra gear, at the right moment,” Chargers head coach Chris Dahl told the broadcast crew following the big win.
Entering the tournament, the Mariners were very much the hunted team, with the No. 1 target on their backs.
“It seems like we’ve had a target on our backs for the last 20 years,” Mariners head coach Shane Hyde said prior to the game. “Every year we are always up there, people are always gunning for us.
“There are so many amazing teams in Pacwest — Capilano and Douglas College to name a couple, and even the Camosun Chargers. They came in here as a host and No. 7 [seed], but I would not be surprised one bit if that team was winning on the other side of the draw.” He was right about that one. “I know what the top end of our team is. I knew if we could consistently play at that level we could beat anyone,” Rustlers head coach Austin Dyer said of his team’s win.
Meanwhile, at the men’s CCAA nationals, the three-time defending Pacwest champion and No.-4 ranked Camosun Chargers had their run halted by the No. 1 Titans de Limoilou of Quebec 3-0 (25-12, 25-23, 25-13) in London, Ont. The Titans were runners-up last season.