In the first semifinal of the Canada West Final Four the Heat will face the home team and top-seed Alberta Pandas in Edmonton at 5:30 p.m. PST Winner of the match in Edmonton will punch their ticket to the National Championship tournament.
Canada West Final Four Match Schedule
FRIDAY, MAR 10th, 2017:
5:30 PM PST | SEMIFINAL (1) | (#4) UBC Okanagan (15-9) vs. (#1) Alberta (22-2) | Live Stats | Webcast // Canada West Final Four
7:00 PM PST | SEMIFINAL (2) | (#3) UBC (20-4) vs. (#2) Trinity Western (21-3) | Live Stats | Webcast // Canada West Final Four
SATURDAY, MAR 11th, 2017:
4:00 PM PST | BRONZE MEDAL | Loser Match (1) vs. Loser Match (2) | Live Stats | Webcast // Canada West Final Four
5:30 PM PST | CHAMPIONSHIP | Winner Match (1) vs. Winner Match (2) | Live Stats | Webcast // Canada West Final Four
Ticket Information | All matches to be played at the Saville Community Sport Centre, U of A, Edmonton, AB
Awards ceremony to follow the Championship Match on Saturday.
| Career Stats versus Friday’s Opponent | |
|---|---|
| UBCO | |
| #1 Emily Oxland | S | 39 sets, 287 assists, 12 aces, 88 digs |
| #6 Megan Festival | OH | 40 sets,103 kills (.110), 14 aces, 108 digs |
| #10 Aidan Lea | M | 6 sets, 13 kills (.393), 5 blocks |
| #12 Michelle Jakszuk | OH | 22 sets, 34 kills (.153), 11 blocks, 28 digs |
| #16 Siobhan Fitzpatrick | OH | 10 sets, 14 kills (.071), 5 aces, 15 digs |
| ALB | |
| #2 Shauny Hogg | OH | 15 sets, 18 kills (.273), 10 aces |
| #3 Mariah Walsh | S | 32 sets, 277 assists, 8 aces, 73 digs |
| #4 Karly Janssen | OH | 26 sets, 50 kills (.192), 45 digs, 19 blocks |
| #9 Kacey Otto | OH | 40 sets,73 kills (.095), 13 aces, 116 digs |
| #16 Meg Cassault | OH | 32 sets, 119 kills (.177), 7 aces, 78 digs |
#4-seed UBC OKANAGAN HEAT (24-12, 15-9 Canada West)CIS National Ranking: No. 7
CanWest Standings: 5TH
Last week: Won best-of-three over Calgary (0-3, 3-2, 3-1)
Streak: 2 Wins
2015-16 Record: (34-4, 22-2) (1st)
2015 CIS Tournament: 3-2 – Bronze
Last CanWest Title: N/A
Last CIS Title: N/A
About the Final Four:
- Third straight year these four teams have been in the Final Four
- Hosted by University of Alberta this year
- Canada West has three births to USPORT national championship
- All teams just need to win one game in the two days to qualify
- Trinity Western won gold in final four last year, Heat silver, UBC bronze
- No.2 Trinity Western plays No.3 UBC in the other semi-final
No. 4 seed – UBC Okanagan Heat
- Won the last two games of their quarterfinal series with the University of Calgary to advance
- Fourth straight final four
- Finished the conference season with a record of 15-9
- This year’s record versus Alberta (0-2)
- These two teams have never played in the Canada West final four
- UBCO holds a record of 4-6 against the Pandas since joining Canada West in 2011/2012
- 3 seniors on the team: setter Emily Oxland, outside hitter Kaitlynn Given and outside hitter Megan Festival
- Two Heat players on all-star teams: outside hitter Kaitlynn Given (second team), setter Sara McCreary (rookie team)
- Head Coach Steve Manuel is in his 16th season and is the defending conference and national coach of the year
- Team leaders:
- Kills per set: 3.12 – Siobhan Fitzpatrick, outside hitter
- Digs per set: 2.97 – Megan Festival, outside hitter
- Assists per set: 6.99 – Emily Oxland, setter
- Hitting percentage: .350 – Aidan Lea, middle blocker
- Service aces: 43 – Megan Festival, outside hitter
- Total blocks: 76 – Aidan Lea, middle blocker
- Team leaders:
#1-seed ALBERTA PANDAS (22-2 Canada West) CIS National Ranking: No. 2
CanWest Standings: 1ST
Last week Bye
Streak: 2 Wins
2015-16 record, conference: 20-4, 2nd
2016 CW playoffs: 2-2, 4th
Last CW title: 2012 / 10
Last CIS title: 2007 / 7
# 1 Seed – Alberta Pandas:
- Finished with a record of 22-2 which is the best record in Canada West
- Went undefeated at home (11-0)
- Two losses came on the road at UBC
- Rank second in kills per set as a team along with second in hitting percentage in the conference
- Lost 3-2 to Trinity Western in semi-finals last year in final four
- Third consecutive final four appearance
- Coached by Laurie Eisler in her 25th season: seven-time USPORT champion, 10 conference championships, three time USPORT national coach of the year and seven-time conference coach of the year
- Four pandas made all star teams: outside hitter Meg Casault (first team), outside hitter Kacey Otto (second team), setter Mariah Walsh (second team), middle Vanessa Jarman (rookie team)
- Team leaders:
- Kills per set: 3.94 – Meg Cassault, outside hitter
- Digs per set: 3.56 – Eryn Orysiuk, setter
- Assists per set: 10.07 – Mariah Walsh, setter
- Service aces: 44 – Kacey Otto, outside hitter
- Total blocks: 66 – Vanessa Jarman, middle blocker
- Team leaders:
preseason preview courtesy of Canadawest.org