Big weekend in Cascade sports at nationals: bronze for vball women; fourth for bball men

UFV Cascades win CCAA bronze medal — defeat Humber College Hawks, 3-1

The University of the Fraser Valley Cascades women’s volleyball team defeated Humber College Hawks, of the OCAA, 3-1 to capture the 2012 CCAA national championship bronze medal. The Cascades finished the CCAA national championship tournament with a 3-1 record, coming back from their 3-0 quarterfinal loss to the Hawks to capture the bronze medal.

UFV’s road to the bronze medal game came by defeating MSVC, 3-0, in the consolation semifinal. Then the Cascades faced Medicine Hat College and after trailing two sets to none, UFV won three straight sets to avoid their season ending and with the win advanced to the CCAA bronze medal match. The scores in the Medicine Hat match were 24-26, 20-25, 25-19, 25-16 and 15-13.

In the bronze medal match, UFV gain an inch of revenge from their quarterfinal loss to Humber by defeating the Hawks in four sets, by scores of 25-23, 25-23, 19-25 and 25-18. The Cascades were led by Brittany Stewart, Walnut Grove, with 20 digs, Jenna Evans, Abbotsford, with 18 kills and Kayla Bruce, Surrey, with 13 kills. The Cascades recorded 47 kills and 45 assists. The team’s attack percentage was .187.

The Cascades’ Bruce was named to the CCAA all-tournament all-star first team and Evans to the second tournament all-star team.

UFV Cascades lose a nail biter to St Francis Xavier, 89-86, at CIS national championships

The University of the Fraser Valley Cascades men’s basketball team lose a nail biter to the St. Francis Xavier University X-Men, 89-86, to finish the 2012 season fourth in Canada. The Cascades record for the 2011-12 campaign is 17-9.

The game started off fast paced with both teams shooting, a very typical start for a bronze medal game, at a championship. First year forward Jordan Blackman, Abbotsford, BC, led UFV with five first quarter points, the Cascades matched the high powered X-Men offense and the game was tied at 16 after the first stanza. In the second quarter St Francis Xavier held the Cascades to 19 points, while scoring 30 points to open up a double digit lead of 11 at the break. Kyle Grewal, Surrey, BC led UFV at the half with 13 points and 6 total rebounds. Blackman’s seven points and James York, Richland, Washington five points came at key points of the half to keep UFV in the game.
The third quarter opened with UFV knocking down the X-Men lead to six points but could not get any closer to the X-Men as they were able to go on a six point run to end the quarter up by 11. The Cascades kept pace with St. Francis shooting 37.5% in the quarter scoring 25 team points. The fourth quarter started with St. Francis holding onto the double digit lead and building up a 16 point lead with seven minutes remaining.

The Cascades kept fighting their way back knocking down the lead several times with one minute left, UFV trailed by three points. The Cascades Sheldon Bjorgaard, Abbotsford, BC had an opportunity to bring UFV all the way back and tie the game but his shot missed with 15 seconds remaining. UFV had one last opportunity to tie the game with 3.4 seconds remaining but the X-Men did not let UFV get off a final shot.

“I thought St Francis Xavier played a great game, they had some players step up and make some big shots. We fought back, and had a chance on the last possession, but we needed to play better for the first 30 minutes to beat a quality team like the X-Men, said UFV head coach Barnaby Craddock.

“A great season for the guys on this team. We will miss Sheldon and Mike who were a big part of our success. But with the rest of the roster returning we hope this experience will help us be even more prepared for the rigors of Canada west conference play. I hope in the back of our teams minds, is the goal of putting in the hard work to earn a berth to nationals again next season. Thanks to all those people at UFV and in the Fraser Valley that supported our program throughout the year.”

Kyle Grewal led the Cascades with a career high 35 point performance. Kyle’s performance today is a new single-season high for a Cascade in the CIS and he joins elite company of men who have posted a double double of 30 or more points and 10 or more rebounds in a CIS Final Four medal-round game, with a team high 14 boards to go with his 35 points.

Joel Friesen, Abbotsford, BC and York each added 11 points and Jasper Moedt, Abbotsford, BC and Jordan Blackman, Abbotsford, BC scored 10 points each as five different Cascades were in double figures.

Ottawa Gee Gees defeat UFV Cascades, 75-69, in CIS East Regional Tournament

The University of the Fraser Valley Cascades women’s basketball team fell 75-69 to the University of Ottawa Gee Gees in the CIS East regional tournament, ending the Cascades’ 2011/12 season. The team’s regular and post-season record stands at 14-9.

The Cascades fell behind early and trailed after the first quarter by 6 points. The Cascades kept pace with the defending OUA champions all night and went into the intermission down by only four. It was a battle of two well-matched teams in the third quarter, as UFV pulled within one point of the home-court Gee-Gees. But that would be as close as the Cascades would come, as the Gee-Gees remained solid to rebuild their lead throughout the fourth quarter.

In the last five minutes, Tessa Klassen’s (Winnipeg, Manitoba) three-pointer put UFV within six points of the Gee-Gees, but the Cascades could not come any closer as they fell by six points. UFV put forth a solid team effort on the scoring front, with 15 points, seven assists from player of the game Kayli Sartori, Chilliwack, 14 points from Klassen and 11 points from both Aieisha Luyken, Mission, and Nicole Wierks, Chilliwack, BC.