OCAA MEN’S VOLLEYBALL QUALIFIER PREVIEW

TORONTO - The Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) men's volleyball regular season is now in the books. For the dozen teams that have advanced to the post-season, there is no margin for error as a single loss will mean elimination from gold medal contention.

The top two teams in each region get a well-deserved break as they have earned automatic entry into the OCAA Men's Volleyball Championships, being hosted by Nipissing University from Feb. 23-25. East regional champion Algonquin (19-1), West champion Humber (17-1) along with Seneca (18-2) and Nipissing (17-1) all await their quarter-final opponents.

For the rest of the teams, a sudden death qualifier is all that stands in the way of a berth to the OCAA championship tournament, and the off-season. The third and fourth place teams in each region host the sixth and fifth place teams from the opposite region, respectively.

Redeemer (10-8, 5th West) at Loyalist (14-3, 4th East)
Saturday, Feb. 18 - 3 p.m.

This is a rematch of last year's qualifier, when Redeemer defeated Loyalist on the road 3-0 (32-30, 25-23, 25-16). Redeemer has an equal 5-4 record at home and on the road and as the Lancers know all too well, the Royals should not be taken lightly. Last season, Redeemer finished in sixth place with a 8-10 record, but advanced all the way to the OCAA final before losing to champion Humber.

Third-year left side Dave Klomps (Surrey, B.C.) is the Redeemer team leader with 187 points, 146 kills and 26 aces during the 2011-12 regular season. Second-year middle Aaron Vander Lugt (Hamilton, Ont.) contributed a team-high 44 stuff blocks.

A pair of Loyalist stalwarts are wrapping up their OCAA careers, and would love nothing better than to do it in championship fashion. Kyle Donnan (Pickering, Ont.) set the OCAA career record with 929 offensive points and 787 kills, while teammate Matt Woods (Pickering, Ont.) is the all-time OCAA record holder in aces with 167. Both players have played five seasons with the Lancers.

Loyalist has an impressive 9-1 record at home. The winner of this qualifier faces Humber in the OCAA quarter-finals.

Fanshawe (10-8, 6th West) at Durham (15-5, 3rd East)
Saturday, Feb. 18 - 6 p.m.

Both Fanshawe and Durham made it to the OCAA tournament last season. This season, only one will earn an invite.

Durham has won three straight to close the regular season, and has an 8-2 record at home. Fanshawe will do its best to avoid Durham fifth-year middle David McMann (Elmvale, Ont.) after setting a new OCAA single season record for stuff blocks with 83. His 206 career blocks is also a new OCAA record. McMann led the Lords with 203 points. Fourth-year teammate Steven Clarey (Baltimore, Ont.) is Durham's leader in kills with 165.

The Falcons are in a minor freefall, having lost three straight and four out of five, costing Fanshawe a chance to host a qualifier. Similar to Redeemer, Fanshawe has an identical 5-4 record at home and on the road.

Fourth-year middle Sam Youlton (Chatham, Ont.) leads Fanshawe with 228 points, 167 kills and 51 blocks during the 2011-12 regular season. First-year right side Harrison Connell (London, Ont.) is the team aces leader with 24. The winner of this qualifier faces Nipissing in the OCAA quarter-finals.

Georgian (13-7, 5th East) at Sheridan (10-8, 4th West)
Saturday, Feb. 18 - 6 p.m.

No matter what happens to Georgian in the qualifying round, the season has been a success for the Grizzlies having improved on its 5-13 record a year ago. Georgian had a season-long five game win streak before dropping its last two games of the regular season.

Fifth-year middle Mike Hammond (Barrie, Ont.) is third in OCAA averaging 4.5 points per set. He led the Grizzlies in all four offensive categories with 310 points, 231 kills, 52 blocks and 27 aces.

Sheridan is also mired in a mini-slump having lost three of its last five games. The Bruins are led by first-year left side Jeremy Fantin (Mississauga, Ont.) and his team-high 214 points, 160 kills and 46 blocks. Fourth-year setter Jesse Satti (Mississauga, Ont.) contributed 24 aces to lead the Bruins.

Sheridan is 6-3 at home, while Georgian is 6-4 on the road. The winner of this quarter-final faces Algonquin in the OCAA quarter-finals.

La Cite (9-11, 6th East) at Mohawk (13-5, 3rd West)
Saturday, Feb. 18 - 6 p.m.

This qualifier features two of the top four offensive players in the OCAA this season.

La Cite second-year power Keith Marier (Ottawa) set the new OCAA standard with 404 points and 346 kills in a regular season. The previous records were 304 points and 257 kills. Marier also leads the Coyotes with 42 aces, averaging 5.1 points per set. First-year middle Maxime Carriere (Alfred, Ont.) leads La Cite with 60 blocks.

Second-year right side Justin Scapinello (London, Ont.) is fourth in OCAA scoring averaging 4.4 points per set. He leads Mohawk with 255 points, 184 kills and 48 aces. Second-year middle Philip Youngblut (London, Ont.) tops the Mountaineers in blocks with 48.

Mohawk saw a seven game win streak snapped earlier this month, dropping two of its last three matches. The Mountaineers earned bronze at last year's OCAA championship. Despite going 0-6 in January, La Cite won three of its last four games to clinch a post-season berth. The Coyotes have a 3-7 record on the road.

The winner of this qualifier faces Seneca in the OCAA quarter-finals.

- OCAA -

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