Three Stars: Vriend, Shittu, Gilfillan earn honours
MacEwan Athletics
EDMONTON – Men's volleyball student-athlete Max Vriend is the MacEwan Athletics' first star of the week after his performances against Manitoba over the weekend.
Vriend broke his own program record for most kills in a Canada West match with 30 in Friday's 3-1 loss to the Bisons. He also accounted for 33.0 points – the second-most ever by a Griffin in a CW game.
Other athletes recognized this week include second star Abdullah Shittu of the men's basketball team and third star Haley Gilfillan of the women's volleyball team.
This marks the first time this season that Shittu has made the three stars list. Both Vriend and Gilfillan appear for the second time after being named second and third stars, respectively, a week ago (Nov. 26).
1st STAR: Max Vriend, OH, men's volleyball
Barrhead, AB, fifth-year, Commerce
Vriend had the best single-game performance in the Canada West men's volleyball ranks this season in Friday's 3-1 loss to the Manitoba Bisons.
The fifth-year senior produced 30 kills in four sets and accounted for 33.0 points – both match highs for the 2019-20 CW men's volleyball season to date.
Those numbers fell just outside the top-10 all-time in the conference record book, but Vriend's 30 kills broke his own MacEwan program record of 28 he produced a year ago in a five-set loss to Winnipeg. The 33.0 points are second all-time to his own record of 34.0, produced against Winnipeg on Dec. 1, 2018.
Vriend added a team-high eight kills on Saturday to total 38 on the weekend.
Making these numbers even more remarkable is they've been against double and triple blocks as opponents gear up to stop MacEwan's top threat, who is often a one-man army. Vriend has 41 per cent of the Griffins' kills – the biggest impact any one player has on their team in Canada West.
Through the first semester, Vriend is second in the conference in kills per set (4.06) and points per set (4.6).
MacEwan returns to action in the new year by visiting Saskatchewan on Jan. 3-4. They are back in the David Atkinson Gym on Jan. 10-11 vs. UBC.
2nd STAR: Abdullah Shittu, F, men's basketball
Edmonton, AB, third-year, Arts
Shittu finished second in Canada West in blocks last season, so his defensive game has long been there, but now the forward is adding a serious offensive threat to his repertoire in 2019-20, as evidenced by scoring 47 points in a pair of losses at Trinity Western on the weekend.
In Friday's 109-97 defeat, the third-year Harry Ainlay product had a career game with 31 points – the fourth-highest produced by a Griffins player in MacEwan's Canada West history. Shittu added five rebounds and three assists in 37 minutes of work.
In Saturday's 100-93 loss, Shittu ran into some early foul trouble and only played 25 minutes as a result, but he still managed to finish second on the Griffins in scoring with 16 points, adding five boards, two blocks, an assist and a steal.
For the season, Shittu is tied for the team's scoring lead with Deonte Doslov-Doctor, each producing 13.8 points per game in eight games so far. Shittu's elite blocks production is also still intact; his average of 1.4 per game is tied for second-best in Canada West.
The Griffins next return to action on Jan. 3-4 when they welcome the Manitoba Bisons to the David Atkinson Gym.
Abdullah Shittu, seen in action against Mount Royal earlier this season, had a career game against Trinity Western last Friday with 31 points (Robert Antoniuk photo).
3rd STAR: Haley Gilfillan, MB, women's volleyball
Edmonton, AB, fifth-year, Arts
Gilfillan's ultra-efficient weekend led MacEwan to back-to-back straight-set wins over the visiting Manitoba Bisons.
She had only one attacking error in 37 total attempts for a weekend hitting percentage close to .540 per cent.
The middle blocker stepped up with 21 total kills over six sets of work, accounting for 26 points as MacEwan beat Manitoba twice.
Her tough serving gave the Bisons fits all weekend and her overall production was part of a balanced attack that has MacEwan on a six-game winning streak heading into the break.
For the season, Gilfillan is second in Canada West in hitting percentage (.378) and service aces per set (0.63).
MacEwan returns to action in the new year by visiting Saskatchewan on Jan. 3-4. They are back in the David Atkinson Gym on Jan. 10-11 vs. UBC.
Haley Gilfillan hits the ball against Manitoba on Saturday. She led the Griffins to back-to-back straight-sets wins over the Bisons that puts MacEwan into a tie for fourth in the conference at 8-4 (Eduardo Perez photo).
