Four teams in three sports on the South Island have their eyes on national championships as they prepare to face teams across the country.
Over the weekend, two teams at Camosun College served up wins on Saturday at the Pacific Western Athletic Association (PACWEST) championships and the University of Victoria (UVic) Vikes sunk enough baskets to push them through to the Canada West finals.
A Victoria curling team is on its way to the Tim Horton’s Brier starting Friday.
Chargers women’s volleyball team takes home first every gold medal
Camosun College’s women’s volleyball team took home its first-ever gold medal at the PACWEST championships in Cranbrook Saturday, pushing them forward to a national championship.
The nationally ranked fifth-place team defeated the first-place team and Island rivals, the Vancouver Island University Mariners, in three sets Saturday.
“The game itself felt surreal,” Hannah May, Chargers’ right side, told CHEK News. “When we won, it didn’t really hit right away. We were all just like, ‘Wow, we actually did it.'”
The game came down to a close final score of 25-23.
May said the team’s strategy going into the game was to take it point-by-point.
“So we don’t get ourselves down or get ahead of ourselves. Even on the last point, we were like, ‘Ok, one more point, let’s do it,’ and it worked,” May explained.
She mostly credits the team’s chemistry for the win, adding that no previous team had built the same culture and trust as this one.
“There was something about all the rookies that came in and all the transfers this year that just fit perfectly with the culture we have been creating,” May stated. “We all get along so well. We truly are best friends on and off the court, which just puts us so far ahead when we play together.”
May is a fifth year, meaning this is her last year playing for the Chargers.
She said she couldn’t imagine a better way to end her time with the team.
The Chargers are now preparing to head to the CCAA National Championship in Nanaimo on Monday.
Watch the full game here:
Chargers men’s volleyball team win back-to-back PACWEST championships
The men’s volleyball team at Camosun College also took home gold at the PACWEST championship on Saturday, sending it to defend its national title.
Brendan Folkerts, Chargers’ right side, said it was a tight game against the Mariners.
He said the men were down 15-19 heading into the third set, pushing the team towards a comeback.
“There is always a little extra when we play those guys,” Folkerts said.
The team had a similar approach to the women, taking the game point-by-point.
They ended up serving a win, with a final score of 25-22.
The team is now preparing for the men’s volleyball CCAA National Championship in Toronto starting Monday, where they are looking for another win.
“We know games are only going to get tougher from here. Teams are going to be hungry to take away the national title that we are trying to defend,” Folkerts said.
Vikes men’s basketball heading to Canada West final
The UVIC Vikes men’s basketball team toppled UBC Friday to score a spot in the Canada West final.
Renoldo Robinson led the Vikes with 26 points, adding seven rebounds and one assist.
“No matter when we play UBC, it’s always a hard-fought game, and it’s a rivalry game obviously between the two schools,” Craig Beaucamp, head coach, said.”
The game ended with a final score of 91-83, improving the Vikes to 19-3 on the season.
The team will now defend its 2022 conference title at the Canada West final on Friday.
The Vikes get home-court advantage, hosting the University of Winnipeg.
“We’re expecting a ruckus crowd this coming Friday, and we are really excited,” Beaucamp said.
The game gets underway at 7 p.m.
Victoria-based curling team heading to the Brier
For the first time since 2007, a Victoria team will represent the province at the Tim Horton’s Brier.
Jaque Gauthier’s team, comprised of Sterling Middleton, Jason Ginter and Alex Horvath, beat Brent Pierce in the B.C. final last month.
This year the brier is taking place in London, Ontario.
The team was unavailable for comment as they were travelling today.
Team B.C.’s first game is on Friday at 4 p.m. against Brad Gushue’s Team Canada.
Mackenzie Read
