The COTR Lady Avalanche celebrate a point against the Fraser Valley Cascades on home court earlier in February.  Thursday evening, the Lady Avs got past the Cascades in five sets to advance to the PACWEST semifinal against Camosun College.

The COTR Lady Avalanche celebrate a point against the Fraser Valley Cascades on home court earlier in February. Thursday evening, the Lady Avs got past the Cascades in five sets to advance to the PACWEST semifinal against Camosun College.

Lady Avs advance to PACWEST semifinal

The COTR Lady Avalanche edged the Fraser Valley Cascades in five sets to advance to the PACWEST semifinal against Camosun

Bonita JoeCamosun College Chargers Athletics

The fifth-seeded COTR Avalanche executed a feisty five-set victory against the fouth-seed Fraser Valley Cascades to cement a spot in Friday’s semifinal match-up with the top-seeded Camosun College Chargers.

“Our game plan was to be consistent in our attacking, to play clean and to serve our opponents off the court,” said first-year COTR Avs head coach Andrew Zurrin. “With Camosun, we’re going to have close the blocks against their fast attack… they’re the fastest in the league. We’ll also need to find a way to dig those balls and then counter-attack.”

Fourth-year Avalanche leftside Kelsey Thompson (Vernon, B.C.) earned Player of the Match for her all-around outstanding performance. The 5-foot-7 PACWEST first-team all-star led her team to victory with 19 offensive points (13 kills, five aces, one block).

“Tomorrow, we are going to play our game and play together,” said Kelsey Thompson about facing the Chargers in Friday’s semifinal.

Final score: COTR 3- 2 UFV (25-23, 17-25, 20-25, 25-22, 15-8)

The third-seeded VIU Mariners surged to a straight-sets victory over the sixth-seeded DC Royals to start Thursday’s quarter-final round at the PACWEST Volleyball Championships. The win advances VIU to Friday’s semifinal match against the second-seeded Capilano University Blues.

Final score: VIU 3-0 DC (25-19, 25-15, 25-16)

Cranbrook Daily Townsman