WOLFPACK MENS V-BALL TEAM BRONZE MEDAL WINNERS AT CANADA WEST FINAL 4

It's called the City of Champions.  And event hough the medal they take home is of the Bronze variety, the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack truly have that "winning feeling". Playing at the University of Alberta Main Gym tonite (Feb 23), the WolfPack ground out a 5 set victory over the defending CIS Champion University of Winnipeg Wesmen.  The scores in the Canada West Bronze Medal game were 23-25,25-19,25-19,18-25,15-12.

"It was just like Brandon" said a very happy TRU Coach Pat Hennelly after the match.  "The guys came into it with the feeling they could compete".  The victory snapped a personal 4 match losing streak to the Wesmen, dating back to the third game of last years Canada West playoffs over a year ago (Feb 18, 2007).

"We just had the mental fortitude tonite," stated Hennelly. "They aren't the physical team Alberta is (who beat TRU in the Canada West Semi finals Friday nite (Feb 22). If we are going to be successful at the Nationals, we are going to have to win these five set matches."

Canada West 2nd team All-star Robin Schoebel (2nd year, outside hitter, Monaco) paced the WolfPack with 23 kills and 24 points.  Hennelly credited his entire left side, which included 4 th year Troy Jaggard (Calgary Alberta) with stepping up in the contest. Jaggard, returning for a back problem played what the WolfPack coach called "serious minutes". 

"Korsbak (2nd year middle Martin ) made some key blocks in the fourth and 5 th sets" stated Hennelly.  The big 6-9 native of Nyborg, Denmark had six kills on the night.  Canada West Rookie of the year Gord Perrin was solid again for the WolfPack. He had 16 kills and 21 points.

 Canada West MVP Ben Schellenberg (5 th year, opposite, Winnipeg Manitoba) led the Wesmen with 15 kills and 18 points. Alan Ahow(4 th year outside, Winnipeg Man) contributed 14 points for Winnipeg.

"I thought they (Winnipeg) experimented with their lineup and it hurt them," surmised the TRU Coach, who felt that the defending CIS Champs were still feeling the effects of being upset by the UBC Thunderbirds the night previous. 

Both teams, along with Alberta and UBC will head to Laval next week for the CIS National Championships. Regardless of how they fare, this victory and this medal are just another step in the evolution of what is becoming the fastest rising Men's Volleyball program in Canadian University right now.