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Sports

2010 CIS men's volleyball championship preview

Cam Charron - Sports Editor

The nation’s best volleyball teams descend upon the Tournament Capital Centre this week to win the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) national championship title. The champions of the four conferences (Canada West, Ontario, Québec and Atlantic Canada) join four at-large teams in a single-elimination, knockout-style tournament.

For full coverage of the event, check the Omega throughout the weekend for updates, or you can follow the event on twitter @truomegasports.

Laval Rouge et Or – FQSE Champion Regular season record: 18-0 National ranking: #1 Tournament seed: #1

The undefeated, top-ranked Rouge et Or (red and gold) head into the tournament as runners-up from last year. They sport one of the top players in the nation in Karl de Grandpré, a 6’4” third year hitter. De Grandpré hit for 42 per cent this season to lead all hitters and was fifth in overall kills. He was the most valuable player of the Fédération Québecoise du Sport Étudiant this year. He’s a star alongside Frédéric Desbiens, the big third year hitter who plays much better on the road, hitting 3.6 kills per set away from Laval.

Justin Boudreault, fourth in the nation in assists, was named the league’s top setter and hitter Frédéric Mondou its top rookie. They are coached by two-time CIS Coach of the Year Pascal Clément, who has a national title with Laval in 1994 on his resume.

Laval are a well-coached, well-balanced team that hit efficiently. They had 218 hitting errors this season, the lowest number in the nation, and hit at 36.1 per cent, the highest clip.

University of Alberta Golden Bears – Canada West Champion Regular season record: 14-4 National ranking: #3 Tournament seed: #2

Two-time defending champion entered the season as early favourites, and after taking the conference title in the tough Canada West conference, they are certainly in the pre-tournament conversation. Ranked 8th in kills, 6th in efficiency, 5th in assists, 4th in blocks and 9th in digs, the team doesn’t boast a huge statistical advantage anywhere, but are well balanced across the board.

Fifth year hitter Thomas Jarmoc leads the team, as the team’s only Canada West all-star. He was 18th in the nation in kills, but piles of big-game experience. Dual threat setter Mike DeRocco can block as well as pass, and his .73 blocks per set is the highest among starting setters for the tournament.

Spencer Leiske and Simon Lidster are also instrumental in Alberta’s defensive wall. Both average more than a block per set, and Leiske had 25 kills in the five-set Canada West final. He is certainly a player to watch. Head coach Terry Danyluk, in his 17th year, has won five national titles with the Golden Bears.

Dalhousie Tigers – AUS Champion Regular season record: 16-2 National ranking: #2 Tournament seed: #3

As expected, the Tigers won their 24th consecutive Atlantic University Sport title. Only three teams compete in that league, so Dal had four players on the six-player conference all-star squad. The league MVP was Sander Ratsep, a 6’5” fourth year hitter with tons of experience. He was sixth in the nation in kills while maintaining a 32.1 hitting percentage. Also to watch is fourth-year middle Max Burt, who led the nation in blocks. He’s joined up front by fifth year Erik Montgomory.

If this team coached by Dan Ota has weaknesses, it’s lack of big-game experience from playing a soft Atlantic schedule. Though they’ve been in the tournament 30 years running, they have failed to win a gold, have won silver just once in 1997, and bronze three times, most recently in 1995. Their two losses this year both came against Laval, the only time they met a ranked opponent in conference play. They did, however, beat Calgary and Trinity at the McDonalds International Tournament held at TRU this year.

Trinity Western Spartans – Canada West at-large berth Regular season record: 11-7 National ranking: #7 Tournament seed: #4

The Spartans took the hard road to the national tournament, needing three games to beat Winnipeg in the Canada West playoffs, and then using all five sets to defeat Calgary in the semi-final game. Against Alberta in the final, they fell in five sets, but still take home a high seed with an impressive playoff performance.

Trinity led the nation in total attacks, most of them coming from second year hitter Steven Marshall, who was eighth in the nation in kills. Fourth year middle Josh Doornenbal is a dual threat, one of the top blockers in the nation, he also scores over two kills a set. Third year middle Rudy Verhoeff rounds up the offense, one of the nation’s most efficient hitters, also a very effective blocker, 11th in the nation in block assists.

The hitters are there, the defense is there, the team is top in the nation in digs, and former all-star setter Ben Josephson coaches them. His current team has turned heads throughout the playoffs and could surprise some folks at nationals.

Queens Golden Gaels – OUA Champion Regular season record: 16-4 National ranking: N/A Tournament seed: #5

The Golden Gaels snuck into the CIS tournament thanks to favourite McMaster bowing out in the semi-final to Guelph, paving the way for the Gaels to win the Ontario University Athletic title in a thrilling five-set game against the Gryphons. Winners of nine straight, they aren’t a team to be taken lightly.

6’6” third year hitter Joren Zeeman is the player to watch on this team. He was an OUA first-team all-star and was fourth in the nation in kills. Second years Nicholas Leblanc and Bryan Fautley round up a lineup that was the best in the nation in kills this year. Setting is third year Daniel Rosenbaum; one of five CIS players to record more than 10 assists per set. The team is coached by Brenda Willis, who has won five OUA Coach of the Year awards in her 23 years with the team.

For a strong offense, they lack on defense. Their 8.67 digs per set statistic is the lowest among tournament teams, and their majority of their blocks were solo efforts. A good hitting should hold an advantage. They’re also a young team, with no players left over from their last CIS tournament appearance in 2007.

Calgary Dinos – Canada West at-large berth Regular season record: 13-5 National ranking: #4 Tournament seed: #6

Graham Vigrass, who missed six games due to injury this year, leads the sixth-ranked Calgary offense into the tournament. This is a team that had trouble blocking towards the end of the season, registering more than two per set just once over their last six.

Another offensive weapon, Omar Langford, may be familiar to TRU volleyball fans, as he victimized the WolfPack for 20 kills in a game back in November. Setter Ciaran McGovern was named a second-team Canada West all-star with just over eight assists per set.

Rod Durrant, who was around as assistant coach for the Dinos’ last medal at the CIS tournament back in 2001, coaches this year’s Canada West bronze medalists.

Thompson Rivers University WolfPack – Host team Regular season record: 10-8 National ranking: #9 Tournament seed: #7

One of the strongest hitting teams in the nation, host TRU earn their way into the tournament through the backdoor as hosts. Pat Hennelly’s team two of the top seven hitters in the nation with Gord Perrin and Kevin Tillie. The lanky Tillie is likely going to be named CIS rookie-of-the-year at Wednesday’s award banquet. Rookie setter Colin Carson has adjusted to the offense and led the nation in assists.

Defensively, TRU is lacking. The WolfPack leading digger, Tillie again, is not ranked in the top 30 in the nation in that statistic. They are 19th in blocks as a team, although that stat has improved with the return of Robin Schoebel, allowing Hennelly to use fifth-year Behlul Yavasgel as a middle.

The WolfPack are a good team with plenty of championship experience, but with the quality of the teams in the field, it’s difficult to think of the host team as anything but underdogs.

Montreal Carabins – FQSE at-large berth Regular season record: 9-9 National ranking: N/A Tournament seed: #8

If there were ever a team whose odds were stacked against them, it would be this team from Montreal. Sporting the lowest regular season record, they are the only team represented outside of Canada West to have not won a championship this season.

They are 0-6 on the year combined against Laval and Dalhousie, the only tournament teams they’ve seen, winning just two sets in those games. “Les Bleus” are led offensively by fourth year FQSE first-team all-stars Emmanuel André-Morin and Andy Oshima, who combined for 23 kills in the three-set loss to Laval in the championship game.

This is a balanced team that digs well, but only record two blocks per set and hit at a tournament-low 22.8 per cent. They’re also lacking in offensive weapons. Fifth-year veteran Vincent Dumas averages 10.36 assists a set, good for third in the nation, but as a team are ranked low as far as total attempts go.

Schedule:

Friday, March 12 1:00 p.m. – Laval vs. Montreal 3:00 p.m. – Trinity Western vs. Queens 6:00 p.m. – Alberta vs. Thompson Rivers 8:00 p.m. – Dalhousie vs. Calgary

Saturday, March 13 1:00 p.m. – Loser LAV/MTL vs. Loser TWU/QUE 3:00 p.m. – Loser UAB/TRU vs. Loser DAL/CGY 6:00 p.m. – Winner LAV/MTL vs. Winner TWU/QUE 8:00 p.m. – Winner UAB/TRU vs. Winner DAL/CGY

Sunday, March 14 1:00 p.m. – Consolation Final 3:00 p.m. – Bronze medal match 5:00 p.m. – Gold medal match

SSN Canada will broadcast all games except the consolation matches. Link to their video feed via the CIS website.

Predictions:

First round:

Laval vs. Montreal - This game shouldn't be too much trouble for the Rouge et Or. They've rolled over competition from the east this year. Laval in two sets.

Trinity West vs. Queens - I like this game, it's probably the most compelling matchup of the first round. Both teams feature young, skilled hitters. Ultimately, I see Trinity as a more rounded team and should come away with it. Trinity in three sets.

Alberta vs. Thompson Rivers - Alberta has won all three games between these two teams this season, but the WolfPack finally get a chance at their home gym. It shouldn't make much of a difference, Alberta is a much deeper team. Alberta in two sets.

Dalhousie vs. Calgary - The Dinos sort of remind me of Pepperdine, a lot of balanced attackers who can jump and swing hard. Dalhousie got rolled over by that team back in January at the TCC, so I won't be adverse to picking for the upset here. Calgary in three sets.

Semi-finals:

Montreal vs. Queens - This would be an interesting offensive matchup, but Queens is just too powerful up front compared to les Carabins. Queens in two sets.

Thompson Rivers vs. Dalhousie - I like this potential matchup for the WolfPack, and it would be interesting to see the development level of Colin Carson and whether he can use all his offensive weapons to neutralize the blocking presence of Matt Burt. Thompson Rivers in three sets.

Laval vs. Trinity West - Making the semis completes the season for the Spartans, but the road will probably end here. Simply put, Laval hit better, which puts pressure on the Trinity team that's inexperienced at this level. Laval in three sets.

Alberta vs. Calgary - Calgary move the ball and block better away from their home gym. I see a big tournament out of Graham Vigrass, and if it takes Alberta a set or two to adjust to the ball movement in the TCC, Calgary could complete the upset. Calgary in three sets.

Finals:

5th place game: Thompson Rivers vs. Queens - It would be cool to have a chance to see the WolfPack's young middles compete against Joren Zeeman and the top-ranked hitting team in the nation. Thompson Rivers in two sets.

Bronze medal game: Alberta vs. Trinity Western - I'm interested to see how Trinity comes out and plays this tournament. They're certainly talented enough to compete with the big boys, and the year of experience at a tournament of this level will do them wonders for the years ahead. That said, Alberta in two sets.

Gold medal game: Laval vs. Calgary - Okay, perhaps it's a little tough to predict that the Dinos will make it this far, but not for Laval. That team deserved the number one seed, which keeps them away from facing Alberta. I'm very excited to see Karl de Grandpré compete live, after seeing some of his video highlights, and expect him to lead his team to the national title, earning the tournament MVP nod. Laval in three sets.