February 23, 2014

2014 CIS menâ??s volleyball championship: Marauders enter contest at No. 2

OTTAWA (CIS) – For the first time since 2009, the University of Alberta Golden Bears are the team to beat heading into the CIS men’s volleyball championship.

The seeding was announced Sunday for the 2014 national tournament, which runs from Thursday to Saturday at the University of Calgary’s Jack Simpson Gymnasium. All 11 matches from the eight-team competition will be webcast live on www.CIS-SIC.tv, including the Tantramar Trophy final Saturday at 6 p.m. Mountain Time.

Rounding out the seeding behind Canada West champion Alberta are the No. 2 McMaster Marauders (OUA champions), No. 3 Trinity Western Spartans (Canada West finalists), No. 4 Dalhousie Tigers (AUS champs), No. 5 and defending national champ Laval Rouge et Or (RSEQ champs), No. 6 Western Mustangs (OUA finalists), No. 7 Calgary Dinos (hosts) and No. 8 Montreal Carabins (RSEQ finalists).

Alberta is the fifth different team in as many years to earn No. 1 status for the tourney, following Brandon (2013), Trinity Western (2012), Calgary (2011) and Laval (2010).

Thursday’s quarter-finals will see Dalhousie and Laval battle in the 12:30 p.m. opener, followed by Alberta vs. Montreal at 2:30 p.m., Trinity Western vs. Western at 6 p.m., and McMaster vs. host Calgary at 8 p.m.

The top-ranked Bears settled for third place in Canada West in league play with a 15-7 record but went 4-0 in the playoffs, including an impressive straight-set win over Trinity Western in Saturday’s conference final, on the Spartans’ home court.

With six Tantramar Trophy triumphs, the most recent as the top seed in 2009, Alberta is the most decorated team at this week’s championship. Laval (4), Calgary (4), Trinity Western (3) and Montreal (1) have also claimed the CIS banner in the past.

Thanks to a 3-1 victory over McMaster in last year’s national final in Quebec City, the Rouge et Or put an end to an 18-year domination by Canada West programs in CIS men’s volleyball.

NOTE: A complete championship preview will follow on Tuesday... The CIS all-Canadians and major award winners will be announced Wednesday morning.

CHAMPIONSHIP WEBSITE: http://english.cis-sic.ca/championships/mvball/index

SEEDING

1. Alberta Golden Bears (CWUAA champions: 15-7 regular season / 4-0 playoffs)
2. McMaster Marauders (OUA champions: 19-1 regular season / 2-0 playoffs)
3. Trinity Western Spartans (CWUAA finalists: 20-2 regular season / 1-1 playoffs)
4. Dalhousie Tigers (AUS champions: 13-4 regular season / 2-0 playoffs)
5. Laval Rouge et Or (RSEQ champions: 14-3 regular season / 2-0 playoffs)
6. Western Mustangs (OUA finalists: 17-3 regular season / 1-1 playoffs)
7. Calgary Dinos (Hosts: 11-11 regular season / 0-2 playoffs)
8. Montreal Carabins (RSEQ finalists: 6-11 regular season / 2-2 playoffs)

CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE

Wednesday, February 26

8:00 All-Canadian Awards Breakfast (Best Western Village Park Inn)

Thursday, February 27

12:30 Quarter-final #1: No. 4 Dalhousie vs. No. 5 Laval (www.CIS-SIC.tv)
14:30 Quarter-final #2: No. 1 Alberta vs. No. 8 Montreal (www.CIS-SIC.tv)
18:00 Quarter-final #3: No. 3 Trinity Western vs. No. 6 Western (www.CIS-SIC.tv)
20:00 Quarter-final #4: No. 2 McMaster vs. No. 7 Calgary (www.CIS-SIC.tv)

Friday, February 28

12:30 Consolation #1: Loser QF #1 vs. Loser QF #2 (www.CIS-SIC.tv)
14:30 Consolation #2: Loser QF #3 vs. Loser QF #4 (www.CIS-SIC.tv)
18:00 Semifinal #1: Winner QF #1 vs. Winner QF #2 (www.CIS-SIC.tv)
20:00 Semifinal #2: Winner QF #3 vs. Winner QF #4 (www.CIS-SIC.tv)