Weekend Recap: Kodiaks volleyball and basketball teams come up short in playoffs

Feb. 27, 2024 - The Kodiaks women’s volleyball team hosted the 2024 Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) Women’s Volleyball Championships while the men’s team travelled to Olds College to compete in playoffs. Both Kodiaks teams faced tough brackets and fell to the teams that ultimately became tournament champions.

Both Kodiaks basketball teams played their quarter-final games in hopes of advancing to the final four. The Kodiaks women’s basketball team hosted the Briercrest Clippers and the men’s team travelled to Calgary to take on the SAIT Trojans.

Feb. 22 WVB | Kodiaks 0 vs Lakeland Rustlers 3

The fourth seed Kodiaks women’s volleyball team took on the first seed and defending Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) national champions, the Lakeland Rustlers in the opening round of the (ACAC) playoffs Thursday night.

With an excited home crowd behind them, the Kodiaks were eager to face off against the reigning champs. The Kodiaks’ serving was a point of emphasis for the team, with multiple powerful serves resulting in exciting rallies. After a strong start, the Rustlers maintained control and took the first set 25-17. The second and third sets saw the Kodiaks get the jump on the Rustlers, with the Rustlers having to battle back from early deficits each time. The Rustlers took the second and third sets 25-13 and 25-14.

The Kodiaks were led by Shane Fowlie (third year, General Arts and Science, Medicine Hat) with seven kills, Aideena Wickstrom (fourth year, Exercise Science, Coaldale) with six kills and Abby Sauder (third year, Bachelor of Nursing, Swift Current, Sask.) with twelve digs.

Players of the game:

Rustlers: #8 Lana Matthews

Kodiaks: #8 Shane Fowlie

Feb. 23 WVB | Kodiaks 0 vs TKU Eagles 3

The fourth seed Kodiaks took on the third seed The King’s University Eagles in a Friday match with the goal of getting to the fifth-place game on Saturday. The first set saw a back-and-forth battle between the two teams with the Kodiaks taking an early 8-5 lead. The Kodiaks kept the pressure on the Eagles and forced them to take a timeout. The Eagles continued to claw their way back though, and after a 23-20 Kodiaks lead, the Eagles tied the score at 23, 24 and 25. TKU went on to win the set 27-25.

In the second and third sets, the Eagles claimed victory with scores of 25-13 and 25-14. Taryn Bach (third year, Open Studies, Lethbridge) led the Kodiaks with 16 assists while Sauder chipped in seven kills.

Players of the Game:

Eagles: #3 Ashley Lockwood

Kodiaks #17 Eryka Woods (third year, Business Administration, Lethbridge)

Feb. 22 MVB | Kodiaks 2 vs NAIT Ooks 3

The third seed Kodiaks took on the second seed Ooks in an action-packed five-set match during the first round of playoffs Thursday night. The Kodiaks got the jump early, and took the first set 25-22.

The Ooks fired back in the second and third sets with scores of 26-24 and 25-17. The Kodiaks fought back in the fourth set 25-16 to force the match to a fifth and final set. In the final set, the Ooks took over and despite the Kodiaks best efforts, NAIT won the set 15-4.

ACAC South All-Conference outside Nolan Moes (fourth year, General Arts and Science, Barrhead Alta.) led the Kodiaks with 15 kills, one ace, one block and 10 digs. Paul Dionne (fourth year, Open Studies, Weyburn, Sask.) followed closely behind with 14 kills, two aces, one block and eight digs.

Players of the game:

Ooks: #9 Ross Bishop

Kodiaks: #22 Paul Dionne

Feb. 23 MVB | Kodiaks 3 vs TKU Eagles 2

The Kodiaks earned themselves on more day of play after a 3-2 win over the fourth seed The King’s University Eagles on Friday. The Eagles started strong with a 25-22 first-set win over the Kodiaks, however the Kodiaks battled back and took the second and third sets 25-17 and 26-24 respectively. The Eagles found a fire in the fourth a claimed a fourth-set 25-21 victory to force a fifth set where the Kodiaks took control and won 15-10.

Dionne was once again a force for the Kodiaks with 18 kills while Shaye Wall (third year, Renewable Resource Management, Swift Current, Sask.) chipped in 13 kills. Ben St. Pierre (third year, Open Studies, Red Deer, Alta.) contributed 42 assists and 20 digs for the Kodiaks.

With the 3-2 victory over the Eagles, the Kodiaks moved onto the fifth-place game on Saturday.

Players of the Game:

Eagles: #4 Tanner Piers

Kodiaks: #8 Shaye Wall

Feb. 24 MVB | Kodiaks 3 vs Briercrest Clippers 1

The Kodiaks ended their season on a high note, defeating the second seed Briercrest Clippers in four sets and claiming fifth place at the 2024 ACAC Men’s Volleyball Championships at Olds College.

The Kodiaks started on fire, taking the first set by storm with a score of 25-19. The Clippers fought back in the second set to win it 25-23. After that, the Kodiaks took over and never looked back, taking sets three and four 25-15 and 25-22.

Moes led the attack with 15 kills, one ace and three digs while Dionne chipped in 12 kills of his own, one ace and seven digs. St. Pierre brought 44 assists and 15 digs for the Kodiaks.

Players of the Game:

Clippers: #1 Jeremy Martens

Kodiaks: #1 Ben St. Pierre  

Basketball

Feb. 24 WBB | Kodiaks 65 vs Briercrest Clippers 70

The first seed Kodiaks women’s basketball team lost a heartbreaker quarter-final game on Saturday to the fourth seed Briercrest Clippers. The first quarter set the tone for the battle that would ensue throughout the 40 minutes. The Kodiaks took an early lead, however the Clippers fought back, and led 23-21 after one. In the second quarter, the Kodiaks fought back and regained the lead, 25-39 at the half.

The third quarter saw both teams trading buckets, with the crowd going wild for each play. The clippers managed to close the gap and eventually took the lead 57-54 after three. In the fourth and final quarter, the Kodiaks put their best efforts forward, briefly tying the game, however the Clippers proved too strong. The Clippers won 70-65 and will move on to the final four. Tylee Perry (second year, Business Administration, Cardston) led her team with 24 points while Jocelyn Neilson (second year, Open Studies, Lethbridge) controlled the glass with 14 rebounds. Courtney Deemter (third year, Bachelor of Nursing, Lethbridge) gave the Kodiaks 15 points.

Players of the Game:

Clippers: #23 Asia Wells

Kodiaks: #8 Tylee Perry

Feb. 24 MBB | Kodiaks 78 vs SAIT Trojans 92

The third seed Kodiaks lost to the second seed and defending national champs on Saturday in the quarter final to advance to the final four tournament. The first quarter saw the Kodiaks struggle offensively for the first few minutes of play, though they eventually found their footing and ended the first quarter down 22-14. The Kodiaks worked to close the gap in the second quarter, with Declan Peterson (second year, Business Administration, Bentley Alta.) dominating the paint for the Kodiaks. At the half, the Kodiaks trailed 45-32.

The third quarter saw a resurgence from the Kodiaks, which forced a Trojan timeout. After three, the Kodiaks had cut the lead and trailed 71-61. In the fourth and final quarter, the Kodiaks continued to chip away as they tried to close the gap. Ultimately, the Kodiaks could not catch the Trojans and they fell 92-78. Peterson led the Kodiaks with 19 points and 10 rebounds while Mason Hoffman (second year, General Arts and Science, Magrath) led with 15 points and five assists. Filip Karanovic (third year, Business Administration, Herceg Novic, Montenegro) gave the Kodiaks 17 points.

Players of the Game:

Trojans: #9 Akoi Yuot

Kodiaks: #10 Ty Lewis