Weekend Recap: Kodiaks compete hard against CCAA’s best
The Kodiaks volleyball teams had an exciting weekend at home as they hosted some of the nation’s best.
The Lethbridge Polytechnic Kodiaks volleyball teams had an exciting weekend at home as they hosted some of the nation’s best. The Kodiaks ended the weekend on a strong note, landing a win against Lakeland College, which was ranked 10th in Canada going into the weekend.
Volleyball:
Nov. 15 WVB | Kodiaks 0 vs Keyano College Huskies 3 (20-25, 14-25, 21-25)
On Friday, the women’s volleyball team took on the No. 14 team in the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA), the Keyano College Huskies. The Kodiaks had a tough first set that didn’t fall their way. In the second set, the Kodiaks struggled to find their rhythm and by the time they did, the deficit was too much to overcome. The Kodiaks did manage to carry that momentum into the third set where Kourtney Serfas (second year, Bachelor of Nursing, Turin) and Aideena Wickstrom (fifth year, Exercise Science, Coaldale) contributed with some strong defensive plays, but ultimately the Kodiaks fell just short losing 21-25 to end the match.
Despite the loss, the Lethbridge Polytechnic Kodiaks showed resilience and determination throughout the match. Taryn Bach (fourth year, Open Studies, Lethbridge) and Robyn Austin (first year, Business Administration – Accounting, Lethbridge) led the offensive charge, combining for eight kills, with Bach contributing two aces and Austin providing strong defensive support. While Keyano College’s offence was strong, the Kodiaks continued to battle, particularly in defence and serve receive, with their liberos Reanna Gage (second year, Exercise Science, Hamiota, Man.) and Quincy Price (second year, General Arts and Science, Coaldale) working hard to keep rallies alive. The team showed growth as the match progressed, and their resilience highlighted the team’s potential.
Players of the Match:
LPK: #20 Lauren Barker
KC: #17 Amanda Onyeukwu
Nov. 16 WVB | Kodiaks 0 vs Lakeland College Rustlers 3 (21-25, 16-25, 16-25)
Saturday evening’s match highlighted the back-to-back defending national champions, the Lakeland College Rustlers, facing off against the Kodiaks. In the first set, the Kodiaks fought hard but fell short, losing 21-25. The second and third sets saw Lethbridge struggled to contain Lakeland's powerful attack as the Kodiaks couldn’t sustain long rallies. Despite a determined effort, the Kodiaks ultimately fell 16-25 in the second and third sets, giving Lakeland the 3-0 victory.
Kodiaks outside hitter Serfas had a standout performance for the Kodiaks, leading the team with 11 kills and a remarkable .769 hitting percentage, showing great efficiency on offence. Wickstrom also played a key role, contributing seven kills and providing solid defensive support throughout the match. While the match didn’t go the way the Kodiaks had hoped, there were still a lot of take aways that the Kodiaks will use going forward.
Players of the Match:
LPK: #2 Kourtney Serfas
LAKE: #9 Emma Jeffs
Nov. 15 MVB | Kodiaks 1 vs Keyano College Huskies 3 (34-32, 19-25, 21-25, 22-25)
The Kodiaks men’s volleyball team hosted the No. 5-ranked team in the CCAA, the Keyano College Huskies. The match opened with the highest-scoring set in the ACAC this season, as the Kodiaks triumphed in a thrilling 34-32 first set. Both teams traded offensive runs, with Lethbridge ultimately edging the Huskies. However, the momentum shifted in the second set as Keyano's attack became too much for Lethbridge to handle, and they lost 19-25. In the third and fourth sets, Lethbridge showed impressive stretches of play but struggled with consistency. Keyano continued to capitalize on Lethbridge's errors, and despite some strong individual efforts, the Kodiaks couldn’t close out the sets, losing 21-25 and 22-25 to give Keyano the 3-1 win.
Ethan Nashim (fifth year, Open Studies, Lac La Biche, Alta.) was a standout for the Kodiaks, leading the offence with 15 kills and a solid .314 hitting percentage. Nolan Moes (fifth year, Natural Resource Compliance, Barrhead, Alta.) was another key contributor, putting up 16 kills, with his strong performance helping to keep Lethbridge competitive throughout the match. Marshall Qually (second year, General Arts and Science, Lethbridge) added eight points with four kills and four blocks, and Ben St. Pierre orchestrated the offence with 34 assists. Even though the Kodiaks showed resilience, particularly in the first set, they couldn't sustain the level of play needed to overcome Keyano’s balanced attack.
Players of the Match:
LPK: #3 Ethan Nashim
KC: #14 Athus Silva
Nov. 16 MVB | Kodiaks 3 vs Lakeland College Rustlers 1 (25-21, 25-19, 23-25, 25-18)
The Kodiaks men’s team was able to bounce back with a dominant 3-1 victory over the Lakeland College Rustlers, the CCAA’s 10th ranked team. In the opening set, Lethbridge’s offence was on fire, led by Nashim, who had a remarkable .800 hitting percentage with 18 kills in the match. The second set saw more of the same, with the Kodiaks maintaining a strong lead throughout. Lakeland responded with a fight in the third set but the Kodiaks recovered in the fourth set to close out the match. Despite a strong push from the Rustlers, the Kodiaks defence and attack were simply too much in the end, securing the victory.
Running the Kodiaks offence was setter St. Pierre who finished with 33 assists. Moes also had a solid outing, adding 18 kills of his own. Tyler Chernishenko (fifth year, Business Administration, Edmonton) led the Kodiaks defensively with nine digs on the night. Overall, the Kodiaks displayed excellent offensive depth and strong defensive play, keeping Lakeland at bay and securing a vital 3-1 win.
Players of the Match:
LPK: #4 Tyler Chernishenko
LAKE: #3 Gabriel Brinchmann Bjorkas