OCAA MEN'S VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS BEGIN SATURDAY

The Ontario Colleges Athletics Association (OCAA) Round of 16 matches have been set for men's volleyball, with eight elimination matches taking place this weekend.

The top eight teams in each division advance to the post-season and will compete in an inter-divisional crossover round based on seeding (1 vs. 8, 2 vs. 7, etc.). Winners will advance to the quarter-finals next weekend. All matches in the opening two rounds will be hosted by the higher seeded team.

The final four surviving teams will advance to the OCAA championship to be hosted by the top remaining seed. The OCAA Men's Volleyball Championship will take place over a two-day span between Feb. 21-23.

St. Clair (6-12, 8th West) at Georgian (17-1, 1st East)
Saturday, Feb. 8 - 2 p.m.

The Georgian Grizzlies enter the post-season with the longest OCAA winning streak at 11 matches, winning a third straight East Division crown.

The Grizzlies are battle tested, winning six matches in five sets (their only loss against Centennial went to five sets). Third-year outside hitter Ryan Vriezema (Midhurst) topped all Grizzlies averaging 4.0 points and 3.41 kills per set during the regular season.

The St. Clair Saints enter the post-season having lost two straight and six of their last 10 regular season matches. Third-year outside hitter Kale Wilkinson (Windsor) averaged 3.8 points and 3.21 kills per set against West Division opponents.

To borrow a basketball term, the tiebreaker "possession arrow" points towards the East Division this year, putting the Georgian Grizzlies in the pole position to host provincials if they win their next two.

George Brown (11-7, 5th East) at Conestoga (12-6, 4th West)
Saturday, Feb. 8 - 2 p.m.

After losing three straight to open the regular season, the Conestoga Condors finished strong winning four of their last five matches.

The Condors boast a one-two punch in fourth-year right side Walker Kalin (Kitchener) and second-year left side Tyrell Belgrove (Markham) who both averaged better than 3.7 points per set during regular season action.

The George Brown Huskies are the only OCAA team with a better than .500 regular season record that has to go on the road this weekend, losing in a standings tiebreaker with Durham and dropping to the fifth seed.

George Brown second-year left side Yaroslav Svidritskiy (Vaughan) led all OCAA players averaging 5.1 points and 4.20 kills per set with a league-high 334 points and 277 kills.

Seneca (6-12, 8th East) at Humber (16-2, 1st West)
Saturday, Feb. 8 - 3 p.m.

A crosstown crossover matchup will take place in Toronto's west end as the Humber Hawks host the Seneca Sting.

The Humber Hawks won 14 straight matches en route to the West Division championship, dropping just a league-low dozen sets.

Humber fourth-year outside hitter Teyven Blackmore (Ottawa) led all OCAA players averaging 0.62 service aces per set. Blackmore also averaged 4.3 points and 3.60 kills per set, tops in the West Division.

If the Hawks are Goliath, then the Sting are David having won the fewest regular season sets (24) among OCAA post-season teams.

Seneca third-year middle Baufy Mbaya Kongolo (Brampton) is in the regular season Top 10 statistically averaging 3.9 points and 3.14 kills per set.

Niagara (9-9, 5th West) at Durham (11-7, 4th East)
Saturday, Feb. 8 - 3 p.m.

The Durham Lords survived a scare in their regular season finale against Algonquin, surviving a fifth and deciding set to clinch a home playoff match against the Niagara Knights.

Third-year opposite hitter Petrus Kuypers (Lindsay) was limited to 13 regular season matches but led the Lords with a 4.8 points and 3.86 kills per set average.

Niagara had an up-and-down regular season in the west, finishing at .500. In a couple of losses, the Knights did manage to take two of the division's top teams in Humber and Fanshawe to a fifth and deciding set.

Niagara first-year middle Rowan Redekop (Surrey, B.C.) led all OCAA players with 53 blocks and a 0.90 blocks per set average.

Loyalist (9-9, 6th East) at Fanshawe (14-4, 3rd West)
Saturday, Feb. 8 - 3 p.m.

The Fanshawe Falcons manufactured a 6-1 record in the second semester and are primed to make another run at the final four.

Fourth-year outside hitter Zack Admans (St. Thomas) averaged 3.7 points and 2.94 kills per set for the Falcons during the regular season.

The Loyalist Lancers missed an opportunity to finish above .500, dropping their last two matches. But the Lancers are happy to be back in the OCAA playoffs after a 4-14 record last season.

Loyalist first-year setter Tobias Archibald (Aylesford) led all East Division players with 35 service aces and a 0.56 service ace per set average.

Mohawk (8-10, 6th West) at Canadore (13-5, 3rd East)
Saturday, Feb. 8 - 5 p.m.

After finishing with a sub-.500 record last season, the Canadore Panthers won five more matches in 2024-25, taking the third seed in the east. The Panthers are 9-1 in their last 10 regular season matches.

Canadore third-year middle Hallen Ettles (New Liskeard) averaged 3.4 points and 2.58 kills in 10 regular season matches.

The Mohawk Mountaineers are 5-5 in their last 10 matches against West Division foes, earning a trip to North Bay.

Mohawk fourth-year player Turner Neame (Hamilton) led all West Division liberos with 177 digs, averaging 3.16 per set.

Redeemer (7-11, 7th West) at Centennial (13-5, 2nd East)
Saturday, Feb. 8 - 7 p.m.

Despite losing their final two regular season matches, the Centennial Colts beat out Canadore in a tiebreaker to clinch the No. 2 seed out of the East Division.

A couple of first-year players, middle Michael Corapi (Vaughan) and outside hitter Ruslan Delawar (Toronto), finished the regular season tied as the Colts regular season points leaders with 166 to their credit.

The Redeemer Royals finished their West Division schedule below .500 but have won two of their last three matches.

Redeemer second-year outside hitter Simon Bourne (Ottawa) led all OCAA players during the regular season with 36 service aces.

Algonquin (8-10, 7th East) at Cambrian (14-4, 2nd West)
Sunday, Feb. 9 - 1 p.m.

Super Sunday isn't just for football as it will feature the final OCAA crossover of the weekend.

The Cambrian Shield have had a strong regular season campaign, winning 10 straight matches entering this contest. Cambrian first-year setter Sam George (Sudbury) led all OCAA setters with 552 assists and an 8.76 assists per set average.

The Algonquin Wolves lost five straight to begin its regular season, but turned it around to go 8-5 the rest of the way. Despite a sub-.500 match record, the Wolves won more sets (37) than they lost (34).

In seven matches played in the winter semester, fourth-year outside hitter Liam Arnold-Paquette (Ottawa) averaged 3.5 points and 3.00 kills per set.

- OCAA -

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