TORONTO — The Trinity Western Spartans are off to their first-ever CIS women’s volleyball final.
Sophie Carpentier had 12 kills to lead the top-seeded Spartans past the No. 4 Montreal Carabins 3-0 (25-21, 25-23, 25-18) in semifinal action.
The Spartans were bronze medallists in this event in 2011 and 2013. They will play the No. 2 Alberta Pandas on Sunday after Alberta edged the Toronto Varsity Blues 3-2 in the other semifinal Saturday. Toronto will play Montreal in Sunday’s bronze medal match.
Carpentier recorded a game-high 16 points, adding four blocks and seven digs.
"I am so thrilled for these girls," said Spartans head coach Ryan Hofer. "They have worked so hard.
"It was a good team effort. We really needed to get our block going and we got a lot of touches on the ball."
Marie-Alex Belanger had 10 kills, seven digs and three block for Montreal.
In the other semi, Alberta overcame a two-set deficit to defeat the Toronto. Set scores were 20-25, 23-25, 25-15, 25-18, 15-13.
Alberta’s Dione Lang led all players with 24 points, 15 kills, and a tournament-high eight blocks and five digs. Josephine Doerfler had a game-high 16 kills, while Meg Casault added 13 kills and 18 digs. Jessie Niles recorded 28 digs, with Mariah Walsh tallying 39 assists and eight digs in the victory.
The Pandas will battle for their eighth national title and first since 2007.
"I think the team just never stopped believing that we could do it," said Alberta’s head coach Laurie Eisler. "Toronto played unbelievably well. We couldn’t match the level they were playing in the first couple of sets. We just knew that if we could find our rhythm, and maybe hope a little bit that they brought their level down, that we’d have a chance.
"Finally we got into that rhythm in the second set and carried that over to the third."
Caleigh Cruickshank topped Toronto with 14 kills, two aces, two blocks and seven digs, with Charlotte Sider adding 13 kills and 20 digs. Tessa Davis had 11 kills and 11 digs, while setter Madelyn Mandryk had 40 assists and 16 digs. Denise Wooding led Toronto with 21 digs in the loss.