Chargers 22-0 since January 2015
The Camosun College Chargers men’s volleyball squad produced their fifth consecutive weekend sweep, taking down a determined Capilano Blues crew in North Vancouver on November 20 and 21. With 10 straight wins and a No. 1 national ranking, the undefeated Chargers have been billed as the team to beat by foes and fans alike as the end of first half of the PACWEST season approaches.
On the weekend against Capilano, the Chargers had their hands full dealing with injuries and illnesses while trying to overtake the persistent Blues who put up an outstanding fight in both four-set contests.
“The first two sets on Friday were very tight and CAP’s two big scorers, Brendan Cairns and Victor Zych, came out with guns blazing,” says Chargers Head Coach Charles Parkinson. “We hung on and were lucky to win one of them. In the third set, our learning kicked in and we were able to exert our serve-block game against them. This seemed to take the sting out of their offense because we cruised through the fourth set quite easily and came away with the 3-1 win.”
“On Saturday, our athletes were exceptional in serving, blocking, defense and transition over the first two sets, but in the third, Capilano upped their game considerably and we couldn't match their furious defense,” adds Coach Parkinson. “Even into the fourth set we had to work incredibly hard for every point, often smashing three or four balls in each rally before finally winning a point. Overall, we were very proud of the way our players managed the pressure and stayed to the game plan.”
Having dominated the CCAA rankings since the start of the season, Camosun has consequently become the target of every team in the country and as Coach Parkinson asserts, “No opponent will be taken lightly.” This week, the Chargers will be all business sizing up the competition and designing their game plan as they face the PACWEST’s #4 College of the Rockies Avalanche on Saturday and Sunday at PISE.
“We constantly remind our athletes that while it is difficult to reach No. 1 in the rankings, it's even harder to stay there because everyone is really motivated to engineer an upset,” comments Coach Parkinson. “We are undefeated this season and currently 22-0 dating back to last season, this is the best run we have ever had. While we are starting to feel the pressure of a great season and the fatigue of so many weeks of hard work, we know we can't take the College of the Rockies lightly. They split with both CAP and the University of the Fraser Valley so they proved they can play at a high level. They may not have the balance or the depth that we do, but what they lack they make up for with physical size and a great work ethic. We are excited to finish the first half in our own gym where our fans have been amazingly supportive and we know every athlete on the team has a burning desire to make it a clean sweep. It's there for the taking, but it all comes down to performance."
Bonita Joe, Camosun Athletics Marketing Officer