The Briercrest College Clippers were a single set away from a huge upset in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference women’s volleyball semifinals on Friday night, but just couldn’t find the winning points and will now play for bronze.
Facing the South Division-leading Ambrose College Lions in Lethbridge, the Clippers got off to a great start with 25-19 and 25-23 wins in their first two games, but Ambrose would find their stride from there, winning 25-18 and 25-14 to force a fifth and deciding set, There, a quick 5-0 start evolved into an 11-1 lead for the Lions, and they’d finish things off with a 15-4 victory.
Briercrest came into the contest with a 12-7 record and had taken a 3-1 win over Augustana in their opener, while Ambrose was 15-4 and had swept Keyano College in their first-round game.
Faith Buhler had a solid game for the Clippers, putting down nine kills and recording 19 digs, while Julia Beer had nine kills and 18 digs. Abigail Ulrich picked up 16 digs in addition to 28 assists. Peacock grad Summer Okerstrom had a kill, service ace, four digs and two blocks.
The Clippers will look to bring home hardware in their final match of the ACAC season when they take on Red Deer in the bronze medal game Saturday afternoon.
Ambrose and Lakeland College (18-1) will play for gold later Saturday after leading their respective divisions.
The Clippers men’s volleyball team rebounded from their tough loss in the opening round to take a 25-19, 20-25, 25-18, 25-15 victory over Old’s College in their first consolation side game.
ACAC South Division player of the year Karym Coleman just kept on keeping on, recording 19 kills to lead the Clippers offence. Jackson Anderson had 12 kills and six digs, while Judah Matthies led all defenders with nine digs.
Briercrest now moves on to the fifth-sixth place game Saturday afternoon, where they face Lethbridge College after the Kodiaks downed the Kings’ University 3-2 in their consolation semifinal.
The Briercrest College men’s hockey team officially made history on Friday night, with their 5-3 win over the Red Deer Kings in Red Deer ensuring their first-ever ACAC first-place finish.
The victory gives the Clippers a 17-6-2-1 record, with their 50 points seven clear of second-place NAIT and eight clear of third-place Red Deer with one game remaining on the schedule.
Friday’s contest was back-and-forth in the early going, as Zachary Thususka and Jaedon Little scored five minutes apart late in the first period to give the Clippers a 2-0 lead, only for Holden Knights and Kevin Minnoch to score power-play goals at 18:12 and 18:57 to tie things up.
The second period was all Briercrest, though, as Jacob Dale restored their lead 1:49 into the frame and Reagan Poncelet making it 4-2 with 2:23 left in the period.
Nolan Doell got one back for Red Deer midway through the third, but ACAC scoring leader Colton Aikens would finish things off with an empty netter with 59 seconds remaining.
Alex Worthington turned aside 23 shots to earn the win in goal, while Kristian Lyon stopped 22 shots for the Kings.
Briercrest was 0-for-4 on the power play, Red Deer 2-for-5.
The two teams wrap up the regular season on Saturday afternoon.
The Clippers will receive a bye through the first round of the playoffs next weekend and will open their playoff run during the Mar. 8 weekend.
