Box Score
EDMONTON - The #8 nationally ranked Brandon Bobcats men's volleyball team picked up it's first Canada West league title Saturday night thanks to a 3-1 (25-21, 25-22, 23-25, 25-15) win over the #3 Trinity Western Spartans.
The Bobcats almost made it a straight-sets win, but the Spartans picked up a scrappy third set, which seemed to ignite the Bobcats as they were never in doubt in the fourth set, which was capped by a
Roy Ching kill.
It was a measure of revenge for some members of the Bobcats, as some were on the team that lost to Trinity Western in the 2011 CIS national championship final.
This is the first league title for the Bobcats since joining the Canada West conference in 2005, and the first league title for Brandon University since the men's basketball team won gold in 2002.
Sam Tuivai showed why he's one of the best in the conference and the nation, as the left-side put up 22 kills on 44 swings to go along with nine digs, four aces and four blocks.
Rookie
Roy Ching continued his impressive play as the freshman put up 15 kills and 15 digs.. Fifth-year setter
Garrett Popplestone was dynamite in his final trip to Edmonton as a Bobcat, as the Brandon product had match-highs in both assists (44) and digs (16).
The Spartans were paced by Nicholas Del Bianco who finished with 13 kills, while Steven Marshall contributed 12 kills and Brad Kufske added 10 kills.
The two teams will both head to Quebec City for the CIS national championship tournament, which gets underway Friday, March 1. The two teams will be joined by Canada West bronze medal winners Alberta Golden Bears, who beat the UBC Thunderbirds prior to the gold medal match.
The top three teams from Canada West advance to CIS nationals. Seedings for nationals and the tournament draw will be announced Monday, February 23.
