A Battle For Second Place

A first round bye in the PACWEST volleyball championship is on the line when the Douglas College Royals host the Capilano Blues in the women’s Match of the Week on Friday night.

WATCH HERE

Both clubs have 32 points, are tied for second place in the standings and haven’t seen each other since the second week of the season when the Royals scored the sweep; 3-0 and 3-1.

If a team sweeps the other on Friday and Saturday, they will finished second.  However if they split or the Royals win on Friday, they will receive the bye after beating the Blues in October.  

The Royals sit in the driver seat and have been very good on the road this year at 8-3.  Here in the month of February they are 2-2 and coming off a split with the top ranked VIU Mariners last weekend.  Their offence has been clicking averaging 11 kills each set.  Since the holiday break, three of their seven wins have been via a sweep and they’ve played in just one five set match.

Overall the Royals have won 53 sets and dropped just 31, showing an extremely talented defence.

For the Blues, the only way they can finish second and receive a first round bye is courtesy of a sweep.  They have been red hot since the holiday break, winning nine of their 10 matches and winning 27 sets and dropping only 10.  They are 7-5 at home this season and incredibly are 9-1 on the road.

Offensively they are averaging 10.6 kills a set and have played extremely tight defensively.  
Head to head this season Juliana Penner has led the Royals with 24 kills and Vikki Schley has tallied 21.  The Blues offence has sputtered as Kelsi Boroevich leads with 15 kills.   Their biggest weapon Kira Sutcliffe has been held to just seven kills over the series.

The first set is live on the campus of Douglas College on Friday night before the scene shifts to Capilano for Saturday to complete the home and home.

Who To Watch: Capilano Blues (16-6, PACWEST Ranking T-2nd, CCAA Ranking #7)

#5 Kira Sutcliffe: She has been held to seven kills against the Royals this season, but overall has 233 kills and 296 offensive points.  She also has been very good from the service line with 25 aces.

#15 Sarah Hughes:  Like Sutcliffe, Hughes is a fifth year senior and is one of the best all-around players for the Blues.   As the primary setter she has 48 kills, 20 service aces, 181 digs and 29 blocks.

#10 Tyneille Neufeld: She has been a nice compliment to Sutcliffe this season with 184 kills and 230 total offensive points.

Who To Watch: Douglas College Royals (16-6, PACWEST Ranking T-2nd, CCAA Ranking #5)

#5 Juliana Penner: She’s second in PACWEST kills at 274 and is tied for first in total offensive points with 332.   She’s also collected 30 aces, not to mention 203 digs.

#7 Vicki Schley:  She’s taken advantage of a weaker block while in the front court with Penner.  She has tallied 199 kills and 231 total offensive points.

#16 Georgia Hurry:  She has been a wall at the net this season collecting a PACWEST high 86 blocks thus far.