The Briercrest College Clippers are off to the start they were hoping for at the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference women’s volleyball playoffs in Calgary.
Becky Garner had an impressive 22 kills and 18 digs as the Clippers took a 3-1 (26-24, 25-17, 20-25, 25-19) victory over the Grande Prairie Regional College Wolves in their quarter-final match-up. Justine Collin added 11 kills and 10 digs while Kirsty Kindrachuk had 12 digs.
The Clippers went into the playoffs as the top seed out of the South Division after posting a 20-4 record through the regular season. The Wolves were the fourth seed in the North with a 9-15 mark.
Briercrest College next faces Lakeland College, who are the second seeds in the North Division after also finishing 20-4. They defeated host Ambrose University 3-2 (23-25, 25-20, 24-26, 25-20, 16-14) in their first-round game.
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The Clippers men’s volleyball team didn’t have as much luck in their ACAC championship opener in Edmonton, as they fell 3-0 (25-16, 25-16, 28-26) to the North Division top-seeded Keyano College Huskies.
Briercrest College finished their regular season with a 13-11 record and reached the playoffs courtesy of a six-game winning streak. Keyano posted a 22-2 mark in leading the North.
Karym Coleman had eight kills to lead the Clippers to go along with seven from Bryton Codd.
The Clippers were back in action Friday afternoon when they took on Red Deer College in their first consolation-side contest.
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Moose Jaw’s Dax Whitehead didn’t have the busiest of nights for the Lethbridge College Kodiaks in their first game against The King’s University, but as it turns out his top-seeded squad didn’t need his usual high point production.
Whitehead had only four kills – a far cry from the CCAA all-time leader’s 20-plus a game – as the Kodiaks took a 3-0 (26-24, 25-18, 26-24) sweep. Lethbridge entered the ACAC post-season with a 22-2 record, King’s finished the regular season at 12-12.
Next up for Lethbridge will be the SAIT Trojans in the championship semifinal on Friday evening.
