By Emad Agahi (Contributor) – Email
Print Edition: February 20, 2013
It was reading break for the students at UFV, but for the women’s volleyball team it was just another day on campus. The Cascades went into their Thursday night’s tilt versus cross-town rivals Columbia Bible College with a chance to set a team record for most wins in a season. A win would also help UFV clinch the top spot in the PACWEST ahead of VIU. This was senior night at the Envision Athletic Centre, meaning it would be the last home games for the team’s fifth-year players: Kayla Bruce, Brittany Stewart and Katie Bilodeau.
The Cascades fought off some early pressure from the Bobcats and won the first set 25-20. From then on the UFV women took full control of the game winning the second set 25-15 followed by a 25-11 third set victory ending the game in just one hour and five minutes. The game also drew a big crowd as friends and family of the players were on hand to witness senior night. Brittany Stewart showed tremendous hustle as usual providing key digs, assists and setting the tone for the Cascades play all night. Kayla Bruce was her usual dominant self with a game high 11 kills and two blocks. Katie Bilodeau contributed in all categories and she also capped off the final set with UFV’s eighth ace.
“It was a good win, a night for the seniors to succeed. We left them in the whole match and they executed the way we expected them too,” said head coach Dennis Bokenfohr after the game. Classy move by Bokenfohr, who made sure to showcase his senior players to their friends and family for the last time at home this year.
The Cascades improved their record to 21-2 with the win and 3-0 against CBC this year. UFV has looked unstoppable as of late and aim to sweep the season series on Saturday. This is also their last matchup of the year ahead of the PACWEST playoffs, which start this Friday.
The men’s volleyball team extracted two key victories from the Bearcats over the course of the weekend to sneak into the sixth and final playoff spot in the PACWEST. On Saturday, facing elimination, they pulled off a dramatic five set victory in CBC’s gym to cap a late-season surge in which the Cascades have won five of their last nine games. The team will face the third-ranked Camosun College Chargers on Thursday, February 21, in the first game of their post-season.
