BARRIE, Ont. - Georgian College in Barrie, Ont. plays host to
the 2012 Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) Women's
Volleyball Championship, beginning Thursday and running through
Saturday.
Eight teams will vie for the OCAA title, including the host
Georgian Grizzlies and four-time defending champion Humber
Hawks.
A total of 12 matches will be played in a span of three days.
Following the OCAA awards banquet at the Barrie Country Club at
8:30 a.m., the OCAA quarter-finals will take place on Thursday
afternoon beginning at 1 p.m. Losing teams will compete in the
bronze medal quarter-finals on Friday, followed by the OCAA
semi-final matches. The bronze medal semi-finals and final will
take place on Saturday leading into the OCAA gold medal match.
Fans who are unable to attend the matches live can follow the
proceedings via webcast. Visit the championship website for further
information.
The OCAA champion advances to the Canadian Collegiate Athletic
Association (CCAA) Women's Volleyball National Championship, taking
place in Nanaimo, B.C. next month.
Here is a look at the OCAA quarter-final match-ups:
Nipissing (14-4, 3rd West) vs. Algonquin (14-6, 2nd
East)
Thursday, Feb. 23 - 1 p.m.
The OCAA tournament begins with a meeting between perennial
bridesmaid Nipissing and rising power Algonquin.
Nipissing has reached the OCAA final in each of the past six
seasons, with the Lakers last winning a championship in 2007. The
Lakers needed a 3-0 (25-15, 25-11, 25-15) win over Loyalist at home
in the qualifying round to advance to the OCAA tournament.
Fourth-year middle Lucia DeMarco (North Bay,
Ont.) is the Nipissing team-leader in four regular season offensive
categories, including points (196), kills (126), blocks (40) and
aces (30). She contributed a game-high 17 points on 11 kills and
six blocks in the playoff win over Loyalist.
Algonquin makes its return to the OCAA tournament following a
two-year absence. The Thunder are led by third-year power
Jori Armishaw (Ottawa) and her team-high 196
points and 141 kills. Armishaw and third-year setter Emily
Graham (Winnipeg) were tied for fourth in the OCAA in aces
with 45 each. First-year teammate Rachel Canavan
(Whitby, Ont.) contributed a team-leading 35 blocks.
The last significant Nipissing-Algonquin meeting was in the OCAA
semi-finals in 2009, which the Lakers won in straight sets.
Nipissing settled for silver that year, while Algonquin earned
bronze.
The winner of this quarter-final plays the winner of the
Trent-Humber match.
Trent (13-7, 4th East) vs. Humber (18-0, 1st
West)
Thursday, Feb. 23 - 3 p.m.
The Humber Hawks have won 22 straight matches in OCAA regular
season and post-season play. They are looking to complete the first
perfect OCAA women's volleyball season since Humber accomplished
the feat in 2008-09.
Third-year middle Kelly Nyhof (Georgetown, Ont.)
led Humber in three offensive categories during the regular season,
totaling 213 points, 154 kills and 36 blocks. She averaged 4.3
points per set, good for third across OCAA. Fourth-year setter
Nina Carino (Scarborough, Ont.) contributed a
team-high 28 aces.
Trent needed a gut-wrenching 3-2 (17-25, 25-19, 23-25, 25-22,
16-14) home victory over Sheridan in a playoff qualifier to advance
to the OCAA tournament. Trent fourth-year middle Sara
Rettie (Newmarket, Ont.) earned a match-high 18 points on
11 kills, five blocks and two aces in the victory. First-year
middle Sarah MacLaren (Renfrew, Ont.) had an
impressive debut accumulating a team-high 196 points and 49 blocks
during the regular season.
Humber is ranked No. 5 in CCAA, and have lost only six sets during
the regular season. The last time the Hawks did not earn an OCAA
medal was in 2002. Trent has never medaled at the OCAA
tournament.
The winner of this quarter-final plays the winner of the
Nipissing-Algonquin match.
Georgian (14-6, 3rd East) vs. Fanshawe (15-3, 2nd
West)
Thursday, Feb. 23 - 6 p.m.
The hometown Georgian Grizzlies take a 8-3 home record into their
quarter-final match with the Fanshawe Falcons.
Despite being OCAA tournament host, Georgian had to play its way
into the tournament with a 3-0 (25-18, 25-22, 25-12) win over
Conestoga in the qualifying round. Second-year middle
Hannah Campbell (Midland, Ont.) led the Grizzlies
with 201 points, 47 blocks and 40 aces during the regular season,
and added eight more points to her totals in the victory over
Conestoga.
Fanshawe only losses of the regular season came against Humber
(twice) and Nipissing. Second-year player Kaitlyn
Kelly (Waterloo, Ont.) is the top Falcon offensively with
a team-high 254 points, 197 kills and 43 aces. Fanshawe is ranked
No. 12 in the CCAA.
Fanshawe is looking to improve on its bronze medal finish last
season. Georgian won its only OCAA medal in 1983 when it struck
gold.
The winner of this quarter-final plays the winner of the
Niagara-Cambrian match.
Niagara (10-8, 4th West) vs. Cambrian (19-1, 1st
East)
Thursday, Feb. 23 - 8 p.m.
Cambrian flirted with perfection the entire regular season, losing
its last match to Seneca in four sets. Despite the loss, Cambrian
clinched their second straight OCAA East region title, and look to
advance further than the quarter-final round where the Golden
Shield lost to Fanshawe in four sets.
Two of the four OCAA players who averaged more than four points
per set just happen to play for Cambrian. Fourth-year left side
Shawna Metcalf (Azilda, Ont.) led the OCAA with a
4.6 points per set average, while fourth-year left side
Kelsey Fielding (Sudbury, Ont.) contributed 4.0
points per set. The duo were the top teammates statistically in
OCAA, contributing 288 and 262 points, respectively.
Niagara has been on a tear as of late, winning six of its last
eight matches, including a 3-2 (25-21, 19-25, 16-25, 26-24, 15-13)
win over Seneca in the qualifying round. Second-year left side
Jenna Bray (Burlington, Ont.) had a monster match
earning 20 points on 19 kills and one ace.
Before the recent success of Humber and Nipissing, Cambrian was a
regular in the OCAA final, winning three titles in five years, its
last coming in 2005. Niagara last earned an OCAA medal in 2003 when
it lost to Cambrian in the final.
The winner of this quarter-final plays the winner of the
Georgian-Fanshawe match.
OCAA WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE
Thursday, February 23
OCAA Awards Banquet - Barrie Country Club - 8:30 a.m.
Quarter-Finals
Game 1 - Nipissing vs. Algonquin - 1 p.m.
Game 2 - Trent vs. Humber - 3 p.m.
Game 3 - Georgian vs. Fanshawe - 6 p.m.
Game 4 - Niagara vs. Cambrian - 8 p.m.
Friday, February 24
Bronze Quarter-Finals
Game 5 - Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 - 1 p.m.
Game 6 - Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4 - 3 p.m.
Semi-Finals
Game 7 - Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2 - 6 p.m.
Game 8 - Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4 - 8 p.m.
Saturday, February 25
Bronze Semi-Finals
Game 9 - Loser Game 7 vs. Winner Game 6 - 9 a.m.
Game 10 - Loser Game 8 vs. Winner Game 5 - 11 a.m.
Bronze Medal Match
Game 11 - Winner Game 9 vs. Winner Game 10 - 2 p.m.
Gold Medal Match
Game 12 - Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8 - 4 p.m.
- OCAA -
ABOUT ONTARIO COLLEGES ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
The Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) is a recognized
leader in intercollegiate athletics in the province, dedicated to
student athlete and sport development. The OCAA has 31 members
sponsoring 16 league and tournament championships.
For additional information please contact:
Josh Bell-Webster
Marketing and Communications
Ontario Colleges Athletic Association
Tel: 416-426-7041
Fax: 416-426-7308
E-mail: bell-webster@ocaa.com