Road Preview: Volleyball teams set for tough battles at Manitoba
Jefferson Hagen
MacEwan Athletics
EDMONTON – MacEwan's volleyball teams are headed out on their final road trip of the 2024-25 season as they prepare for matches at the Manitoba Bisons this weekend.
For the women that means another showdown against reigning U SPORTS player of the year Raya Surinx, who is again leading the country in kills/set (4.84), which only slightly less than her 4.85 average last season.
The only difference is the Griffins don't have Mariah Bereziuk anymore. Their 2023-24 matchup against the Bisons was a terrific showdown of the top two attackers in Canada West going head to head. This time, they'll have to use a committee against Surinx, which is no easy task.
"We're going to have a really good service game to try and put them out of system," said Griffins head coach Chris Wandler. "So, having less players available for Katreena (Bentley) the setter to go at. That will be a big part of our plan. Obviously, you can only slow down a player like Raya so much. We'll try to take a few options away and try to do some things ourselves. We're ready to be on top of our game."
The men are coming in fresh off a thrilling 3-2 win over Mount Royal for their first win of the season and are looking to continue the momentum this weekend.
Check out capsule previews on both matchups below:
WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
On Tap
Friday: at Manitoba, 5 p.m. MT, Canada West TV
Saturday: at Manitoba, 3 p.m. MT, Canada West TV
Last meeting
Jan. 6, 2024: Manitoba 3 at MacEwan 0
Last game
Feb. 1: MacEwan 0 at Mount Royal 3
Feb. 1: Winnipeg 1 at Manitoba 3
2024-25 records
MacEwan (2-14): 14th
Manitoba (14-4): 3rd
Chris Wandler's coach's quote:
"We're passing the ball better than we did in the first half, for sure, which allows Payton (Shimoda) to distribute the offence. We're getting lots of help in the middle, which gives our outsides a few more chances because the middle blockers on the opposition are a bit late. Our offence is slowly starting to get to where it's needed."
Players to watch
MacEwan: Payton Shimoda – The Griffins' setter enters the weekend with 1,985 career assists, and needs just 15 to become the second setter in the program's Canada West era to reach 2,000. From there, she only needs 11 more (so, 26 total this weekend) to pass Claire McLoughlin (2015-18) for the program career assists record.
Manitoba: Raya Surinx – To demonstrate how good the outside hitter is, Surinx had 19 kills in a 3-0 road win over U SPORTS No. 1 UBC in Vancouver on Jan. 25. The Thunderbirds were swept by the Bisons that weekend for their only two losses of the season. Entering the weekend with 271 kills in 56 sets, tops in Canada, she has a legitimate shot to repeat as U SPORTS player of the year.
Mitch Croft needs just two kills to set a new program record for the most by a Griffins rookie in a Canada West season. Ryan Zachary holds the record with 207 in 2017-18 (James Maclennan photo).
MEN'S VOLLEYBALL
On Tap
Friday: at Manitoba, 6:45 p.m. MT, Canada West TV
Saturday: at Manitoba, 4:45 p.m. MT, Canada West TV
Last meeting
Jan. 6, 2024: Manitoba 3 at MacEwan 0
Last game
Feb. 1: MacEwan 3 at Mount Royal 2
Feb. 1: Winnipeg 3 at Manitoba 1
2024-25 records
MacEwan (1-15): 13th
Mount Royal (7-11): T7th
Brad Poplawski's coach's quote:
"Manitoba is a big, physical team with one of the best young players in the country in rookie Owen Weekes. They serve very tough from the baseline, so our passers need to be ready to contain their velocity on serve to get our side-out game going."
Players to watch
MacEwan: Mitchell Croft – The 6-foot-9 Australian outside hitter is one kill shy of the program record for the most kills in a Canada West season by a Griffins rookie. He enters the weekend series with 206, trailing Ryan Zachary's 207, set in 2017-18. His current kills/set average of 3.75 (third in Canada West) is on pace to smash Zachary's program rookie record of 2.41.
Manitoba: Spencer Grahame – The senior left-side is leading the Bisons in kills/set average (2.48). He led Manitoba both nights against cross-town rival Winnipeg last weekend with 23 kills across nine sets. Grahame will surely be extra motivated in the final two home regular season games of his career.
