The University of the Fraser Valley women’s basketball team swept a pair of road games vs. the UNBC Timberwolves on the weekend, and punched their playoff ticket in the process.
The Cascades officially clinched a trip to the post-season on Friday, beating the T-Wolves 88-75 behind solid performances from post players Katie Brink (28 points), Sarah Wierks (23 points, 14 rebounds) and Shayna Litman (11 points in just 12 minutes off the bench).
On Saturday, it was Celeste Dyck’s turn to take the wheel. The fifth-year point guard poured in a game-high 22 points and added five steals in UFV’s 85-51 victory.
The Cascades, who sit third in the Explorer Division at 11-7, will host a first-round playoff series Feb. 20-22 against the sixth-place finisher in the Pioneer Division.
Men’s hoopsters split with T-Wolves
The UFV men’s basketball team had already clinched first place in the Explorer Division heading into the weekend, and they ended up splitting a pair of games against UNBC.
On Friday, centre Jasper Moedt set the pace with 22 points and 14 rebounds as the Cascades prevailed 77-71. Kevon Parchment (16 points), Dominque Brooks (13), Vijay Dhillon (11) and Kadeem Willis (10) also scored in double figures for the Cascades, who shot 53.8 per cent from the field as a team, including 8-for-13 from beyond the arc (61.5 per cent).
On Saturday, UNBC – desperately in need of a win to lock up the first Canada West playoff berth in team history – upset UFV 69-57 despite 19 points off the bench from Willis. The Cascades now sit at 16-2 on the season.
Women’s volleyballers upset by Avalanche
The UFV women’s volleyball squad, No. 9 in the CCAA national rankings heading into the weekend, suffered a pair of defeats to the College of the Rockies Avalanche in Cranbrook.
The Avalanche prevailed in straight sets on both Friday (25-20, 25-18, 27-25) and Saturday (25-21, 25-23, 25-20), leapfrogging the Cascades for fourth place in the PacWest conference with an 11-9 record. UFV is 10-10 on the season.
Volleyball men topped by COTR
On their most demanding road trip of the season the Cascades men’s volleyballers defied the “bus legs” phenomenon by winning the first set of their opener on Friday vs. College of the Rockies.
But the Avalanche came roaring back to win the next three, and they capped the weekend with a three-set triumph over UFV on Saturday (28-26, 25-17, 25-23). Middles Connor Nickel and Dayton Pagliericci were praised for their play by head coach Kyle Donen on Friday, and Joel Kleingeltink led a last-gasp comeback effort in the third set on Saturday, but the Cascades nevertheless saw their record dip to 6-14, good for fifth in the PacWest.
Looking ahead
The coming week is a huge one for the UFV athletic department.
The basketball teams wrap up their Canada West regular season schedules with a pair of home games vs. the Thompson Rivers WolfPack on Friday (women 6 pm, men 8 pm) and Saturday (women 5 pm, men 7 pm). Saturday’s games will feature Senior Night festivities in honour of four graduating fifth-year players: Sarah Wierks and Celeste Dyck of the women’s team, and Jasper Moedt and Kadeem Willis of the men’s squad.
The Cascades wrestling program takes a shot at history on Friday and Saturday, as they head to the University of Calgary for the Canada West championships. The men’s squad is ranked No. 1 in the nation, and they have a chance to win a conference banner in their first season of competition.
The UFV volleyball teams are on the road to face the Capilano Blues on Friday and Saturday (women 6 pm and men 8 pm both nights, webcast at sportscanada.tv/pacwest).
For more information, contact Dan Kinvig at dan.kinvig@ufv.ca
02/13/2015