How far can home-floor advantage, a loud Pacific Institute for Sport Excellence gym and a veteran team take the Camosun Chargers women鈥檚 volleyball team at the national level?
Coach Chris Dahl can鈥檛 wait to find out as his Chargers take on the role of host and No. 7-seed in the Canadian Colleges Athletic Association championship that begins today at the Interurban campus.
The Chargers 鈥� who were eliminated in quarter-finals at the Pacwest championship 鈥� are an obvious long-shot, but are obviously capable of rising to the occasion, having defeated No. 1-ranked and league champions Vancouver Island University once this season. Camosun was also swept twice by the Mariners and lost a five-set marathon to their Island rivals.
鈥淚t is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, it really is,鈥� Dahl said coming into the eight-team event, which carries through until Saturday鈥檚 8 p.m. final. 鈥淭he window of opportunity to be a student-athlete at the post-secondary level is small and unique, as special as it is.
鈥淭hen, to be able to attend the national championship as the host and to play in front of friends and family in the community that you are immersed in 鈥� I could coach another 40 years and maybe then I would get the opportunity to do that again,鈥� he added.
鈥淭hat far exceeds the life of an athlete. They acknowledge, understand and are appreciative of the opportunity. They are incredibly excited and feeling that, 鈥楬ey, we鈥檙e going to be able to put on an outstanding show and create a lot of buzz for the program, for the sport, for the CCAA and Pacwest 鈥� all of the above.鈥� 鈥�
The task will be a tough one, though, as the Chargers face Ontario champion and the No. 2-seed Humber Hawks in their opener at 8 p.m. The event commences with the No. 1 Mariners vs. No. 8 Cavaliers de Bois-de-Boulogne of Montreal at 1 p.m.
The Mariners enter as defending national champs and are coming off their 16th Pacwest title in which they went undefeated, winning the crown at home. They have been ranked No. 1 nationally for the entire season.
鈥淚 think we鈥檙e a better team than we were last year,鈥� coach Shane Hyde said, entering the tournament.
And it will also play out as a bit of a home game for the Mariners as well, who are expected to draw busloads of fans from Nanaimo.
鈥淕etting to nationals was a key for us,鈥� said Hyde. 鈥淲e knew that was going to be a dogfight and now that we鈥檙e there, we have no planes, no ferries. It鈥檚 as home-court as we can make it. I鈥檓 sure we鈥檒l be shuffling fans down in busloads to Victoria. We鈥檙e excited to not have to travel.鈥�
In Game 2, the No. 4 Lakeland Rustlers of Lloydminster, Alta., face the No. 5 Mount Saint Vincent Mystics of Halifax at 3 p.m. followed by the No. 3 Lynx d鈥櫭塪ouard Montpetit of Longueuil, Que., vs. No. 6 Grande Prairie Regional College Wolves of Alberta at 6 p.m.
Dahl鈥檚 Chargers 鈥� who lost a five-set, two and one-half hour marathon to Capilano at quarter-finals of the Pacwest championship 鈥� then take the floor at 8 p.m.
鈥淚 think that coaches in the league are experienced enough that they鈥檒l say, 鈥楬ey, it鈥檚 tough to play anyone, it doesn鈥檛 matter what seed they are, in their home gym, in front of their home crowd.鈥� I think the community of Victoria and Camosun College are doing a fantastic job of creating excitement here and it鈥檚 going to be one incredible environment,鈥� said Dahl.
Meanwhile, the Camosun men, who recently claimed a third straight Pacwest crown, are seeded No. 4 and will open against the No. 5 Medicine Hat Rattlers of Alberta at nationals in London, Ont., at noon Pacific time. The No. 6 VIU Mariners are also competing and face the No. 3 Mohawk Mountaineers of Ontario at 3 p.m.
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