For the third straight year, the Camosun Chargers men’s volleyball team is headed to the national championships with the provincial trophy in tow.
The Chargers earned the PacWest provincial three-peat on a solid championship run defeating the host – longtime rival Vancouver Island University Mariners of Nanaimo – in the final. Camosun rebounded from a first set loss to win three straight sets over VIU in the Saturday night final, 17-25, 26-24, 28-26, 25-16.
Both teams head to the CCAA Mens Volleyball National Championship runs March 9 to 11 in London, Ont., at Fanshawe College.
For six-foot-six Isaac Dellabough, the Chargers’ middle, it’s a new experience. The second-year made a couple of brief appearances at last year’s provincials but then watched from the bench as the team won the 2016 CCNA nationals. 
And though it’s the third straight year the Chargers have qualified for nationals (they won it in 2015), it’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance for Dellabough, who is in his last season with the team. Dellabough is headed to the University of Victoria to complete his degree in psychology after this season.
(Inset photo: Chargers celebrate 2017 provincial title/Northfield Photography.)
“Nationals is exciting, it’s intense so I’m a bit nervous, but not scared,” Dellabough said. “I think it’s just the fact [my volleyball playing career] comes to an end in such a big way.”
Dellabough followed his brother Lucas to the Chargers. Lucas played for the Chargers from 2012 to 2014. Coming out of high school, when Dellabough won his only provincial championship as a basketball player, he wasn’t sure which direction to go to.
“There was a discussion to join the Chargers basketball team but I figured out in Grade 12 that volleyball was the direction for me.”
The jump to collegiate was “intense,” Dellabough said. In his rookie season of 2015-16 Dellabough was thrown into the fire to start – but when experienced Chargers’ middle Alex Sadowski (Belmont secondary) returned it meant less playing time.
But it worked out this year as Sadowski had graduated and Dellabough was ready to play.
“As soon as I started this season it felt natural, it felt the way the game was being played the way it should be played,” Dellabough said.
Chargers win third straight B.C. title
While Dellabough saw little playing time at last year’s provincials, this time around it was different.
Dellabough finished the PacWest volleyball regular season with the 16th most blocks in the league and started most of regular season games.
Dellabough started all three games at the provincials and was named the player of the game in the opener on Thursday, a straight-set win over the Capilano Blues, 25-13, 25-16 and 29-27.
It wasn’t until that game that Dellabough realized how well the team was playing, and that there was no reason they couldn’t win the provincials once again.
“We were third place [in the regular season], so it was pretty crazy, but honestly, I knew we it was possible for us to win it,” Dellabough said. “We weren’t [playing] at our potential, I knew if we played well we’d come out with the win.”
That said, there was still some doubt as they entered the provincials as all three teams had defeated the Chargers this season.
Once the Chargers “pumped the Blues” in Game 1, the chemistry fell into in place.
“In Round 2 [a win over second-seed Fraser Valley Cascades] we won with ease, then we knew we had this,” Dellabough said. “By the time we reached the final against VIU we had that mentally that we could come out with the championships.”
The Chargers beat the Cascades in the semifinal 25-20, 25-12, 19-25, 25-22, then rebounded from a first set loss, 17-25 to the Mariners, with three straight sets for the gold medal, 26-24, 28-26, 25-16.
Chargers rookie Matthew Bowers, a six-foot-five left side from Milton, Ont., was named MVP of the tournament and the player of the match for the final. Chargers players Savana Walkingbear and Hakon Ostrem were named to the provincial all-star team.
Chargers women knocked out, but will return to host nationals
The Capilano Blues eliminated the Camosun Chargers women’s volleyball team in the quarterfinals of the PacWest provincials in Nanaimo on Thursday, 25-22, 29-31, 21-25, 25-23, 15-12.
The Chargers will host the 2017 CCAA Women’s Volleyball National Championship from March 8 to 11.
