It took 180 matches to cut the original field of 20 teams down to 12. It will be a lot quicker to pare down the remaining dozen.

Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) women's volleyball qualifying matches take place in four locations this weekend, with the winners advancing to the 2015 OCAA Women's Volleyball Championship, hosted by Redeemer University College in Ancaster, Ont., from Feb. 26-28.

Four teams, including host Redeemer (12-6), west regional champion Humber (18-0) along with the top two teams from the east, Georgian (16-2) and Trent (13-5), respectively, have been awarded byes directly into the quarter-finals which take place on Feb. 26.

For the other eight teams, their fate will be determined this weekend in the OCAA qualifying round. Teams will play an opponent from the opposite division based on seeding for the opportunity to advance to provincials.

Here is a look at the four qualifying matches.

Durham (13-5, 5th East) at St. Clair (12-6, 4th West)
Saturday, Feb. 21 - 2 p.m.

A battle of the green and gold versus the green and gold will kick off the OCAA post-season.

The Durham Lords ended the regular season in a four-way tie for second place in the east region. They drew the short straw when it came to the tiebreaker, however, being forced to make the long trek due west down the 401.

Durham enters the post-season on a high having won four consecutive matches by the minimum three sets.

Fourth-year outside hitter Jessica Broad (Courtice, Ont.) led all Durham players averaging 3.4 points per set, good for 11th in the province.

The St. Clair Saints are not exactly ice cold, despite dropping their regular season finale to Niagara in five sets (25-17, 25-20, 21-25, 21-25, 18-16). The Saints are 4-1 this month, and 7-2 since January.

St. Clair third-year left side Helen Wiebe (Leamington, Ont.) was eighth in the OCAA averaging 3.5 points per set.

Both teams had identical 9-9 records in 2013-14, and are in the middle of long OCAA medal droughts. Durham was last awarded a medal in 2005, taking bronze. A St. Clair player has not had a medal around her neck since the Saints won it all back in 1997.

The winner plays Georgian in the OCAA quarter-finals.

Sheridan (12-6, 5th West) at Seneca (13-5, 4th East)
Saturday, Feb. 21 - 2 p.m.

It was quite the turnaround for the Sheridan Bruins this season, following a 3-15 mark in 2013-14. Sheridan returns to the post-season after a one year absence, but has not advanced to the quarter-finals since 2011.

The Bruins will be without injured fourth-year right side Melissa Cappelletti (Cambridge, Ont.) and her 4.2 points per set average, placing her third among OCAA players. Third-year left side Jordie Bevan (Oakville, Ont.) has stepped up in her absence, averaging 3.6 points per set, good for seventh in the province.

Seneca hosted nationals last year, and will look to use that experience to its advantage. The Sting had a six match win streak snapped in their season finale by Trent in a wild five setter (21-25, 22-25, 28-26, 25-20, 17-15).

Seneca second-year outside hitter Tina O'Donnell (Scarborough, Ont.) was fourth among OCAA players during the regular season averaging 3.8 points per set.

Seneca has not won an OCAA medal since taking bronze in 2001. The drought has been longer for Sheridan, the 1998 bronze medalists.

The winner plays Humber in the OCAA quarter-finals.

Cambrian (8-10, 6th West) at Canadore (13-5, 3rd East)
Saturday, Feb. 21 - 6 p.m.

The OCAA championship will receive some northern exposure, as Cambrian visits Canadore. Ironically, it will be Cambrian's shortest road trip this season (excluding crosstown rival Boréal).

Canadore is in search of its first-ever OCAA medal. The Panthers has gone from 0-18 in 2012-13 to 13-5 in back-to-back seasons. Candore is looking to fare better in this year's qualifying round, after suffering a 3-2 (25-23, 25-23, 16-25, 21-25, 19-17) setback at Conestoga in 2014.

Canadore second-year outside hitter Caitlin Hebert (North Bay, Ont.) was sixth among OCAA players averaging 3.6 points per set.

Cambrian returns to the post-season for the first time since its 2013 OCAA bronze medal performance. The Golden Shield have won two of their past three matches to end the regular season on a high note.

Sara Charlton (Owen Sound, Ont.), a fourth-year middle blocker, led all Cambrian players averaging 2.8 points per set, 22nd among OCAA players.

The winner plays Algonquin or Niagara in the OCAA quarter-finals.

Algonquin (7-11, 6th East) at Niagara (15-3, 2nd West)
Sunday, Feb. 22 - 2 p.m.

The Niagara Knights have just completed their best regular season in recent memory after going 8-10 in back-to-back seasons.

Niagara fifth-year outside hitter Lucy McLay (Stratford, Ont.) averaged 3.5 points per set during the regular season, good for ninth among all OCAA student-athletes. The Knights ended the regular season winning eight consecutive matches.

Algonquin is coming off a 3-0 (25-17, 25-19, 25-9) sweep of George Brown to secure a playoff berth. That victory ended a three-match losing streak.

Algonquin third-year middle and reigning OCAA athlete of the week Alixandra Burkart (Kenora, Ont.) leads all Thunder players averaging 2.9 points per set, 19th among all players.

Both teams have not appeared in the OCAA quarter-finals since 2012. This streak will end for one of these teams.

The winner plays Cambrian or Canadore in the OCAA quarter-finals.

Source: OCAA Communications