QUEBEC CITY – With their first Canada West title in 13 years in their back pockets, the University of Calgary women's volleyball team made the cross-country trip to la belle province to get set for the U SPORTS championship at Université Laval.
As the top-seeded team in the tournament, the Dinos will face the lowest seed – which just happens to be the host Rouge et Or, who will likely enjoy a significant home court advantage when the tournament opens Friday. The Dinos and Rouge et Or will play the third quarter-final of the day beginning at 4 p.m. MT (6 p.m. local). USPORTS.live will have exclusive streaming coverage.
It's the first trip to nationals since 2009 for the Dinos, who are looking for their first national title since 2004. The team will have an added wrinkle to deal with this week: Head Coach
Natalie Gurnsey did not make the trip with the team as she is set to give birth to her first child any day. The team will be led by assistant coach Al Taylor, who has plenty of experience at the highest level: the captain of Canada's 1976 Olympic team, he was a longtime assistant coach with the national team and head coach at the Summer Universiade. Taylor also stepped in for Gurnsey in January when the Dinos travelled to Thompson Rivers.
"Nat announced back in August that she was going to deliver on the day we were supposed to travel, if we got here, so the players have been preparing for that all along," explained Taylor. "For the last few weeks they have been playing really well confidence-wise and I think they are in the groove."
The Dinos' journey through the Canada West playoffs was a dominant one, winning all five of their postseason matches and wrapping up the conference title with a 25-10 win in the fourth set over UBC last Friday night in the Jack Simpson Gym.
"It feels like this is the year that it is meant to happen. For all of us fifth-year players, it means a lot, but it means a lot to everyone on this team, so it is nice we can enjoy it all together," said outside hitter
Laura McManes following the team's practice Wednesday. "Even in practices, I think we have been playing some of the best volleyball that we have been throughout the entire season. Everything we have done has been meant for this."
The winner of Friday's quarter-final will face the winner of the Ryerson-UBC Okanagan match-up in the semifinal Saturday. The early quarter-finals see No. 2 Montreal against No. 7 Alberta and No. 3 UBC taking on No. 6 Dalhousie.
The national championship match is scheduled for 3 p.m. MT / 5 p.m. local Sunday. All matches will be held in the PEPS Gymnasium on the campus of Université Laval.
No. 1 Calgary Dinos
- Playoff finish: Canada West champions
- Regular season / playoff records: 21-3 / 5-0
- Last U SPORTS championship: 2004
- Total U SPORTS championships: 4
Team leaders
The Canada West champion Calgary Dinos are set for their 20th U SPORTS Women's Volleyball Championship.
Led by Canada West player of the year
Kate Pexman, the Dinos posted one of the best seasons in program history, finishing 21-3 in Canada West and earning the top seed in the conference playoffs. A two-match sweep of Mount Royal punched their ticket to the national championship for the first time since 2009, and a two-match sweep of Alberta sent them on to the CW Final, where they beat UBC to capture their first CW title since 2005.
The team boasts veteran leadership and depth, with the fifth-year quartet of
Laura McManes,
Brianna Solberg,
Jaylynn Moffatt, and
Amber Adolf set to wrap up their U SPORTS careers in Quebec City as the Dinos search for their fifth national title and the first since 2004, when head coach
Natalie Gurnsey was the team's starting setter. Pexman and middle
Beth Vinnell are the offensive leaders, but the Dinos can score in multiple ways and will defend aggressively.
No. 8 Laval Rouge et Or
- Playoff finish: RSEQ finalists / Hosts
- Regular season / playoff records: 14-6 / 2-2
- Last U SPORTS championship: 2006
- Total U SPORTS championships: 1
Team leaders
- Kills per set: Maud Chapleau (2.70)
- Blocks per set: Alex Béraud (0.61)
- Assists per set: Émie Gaboury (9.33)
- Digs per set: Maud Chapleau (3.53)
The Rouge et Or finished the season with its best record in five years, including six wins over their last seven games. This allowed them to reach the RSEQ final for a second year in a row, after beating McGill in two games in the conference semifinal. Jade Fortin and Maud Chapleau made the RSEQ first All-Star team, while setter Emie Gaboury was named to the second All-Star team.
Laval will have the advantage of counting on a supportive crowd during the U SPORTS Championship, which will take place at Laval University's PEPS for the first time since 2011. Ranked third at the time, the Rouge et Or caused a surprise in the semi-finals, overtaking the Trinity Western Spartans. As a regular national championship host, this will be the first national volleyball tournament to be featured in new PEPS facilities.
