KAMLOOPS, British Columbia - This Friday at 3 p.m. the No. 7 ranked and fourth seed Trinity Western University Spartans will open their quest for a second CIS men's volleyball championship against the fifth seed and OUA champion Queens University Gaels at the TCC in Kamloops, B.C.



Going in to the match the biggest question that is yet to be answered is who the underdog is and who is the favourite?



Both teams will argue that the other squad is the more dangerous team and that they need to perform to their best to come out on top in Friday's contest.



The match-up features two teams with many similarities.



Each program has had experience at the CIS championship, but the current teams are very young with only three players having had experience at Canada's top university tournament. TWU's fourth year middle Josh Doornenbal of Edmonton and fourth year rightside Aaron VandenBrink of Langley, B.C. and Queen's, who have no fourth year players, fifth year middle Sam Pedlow of Barrie, Ont. are the only current players who were at the 2007 championship at McMaster University in Hamilton.



Both teams are led by conference all-stars: TWU has Canada first team All-Star leftside Steven Marshall of Abbotsford, B.C. and second team All-Star Doornenbal, while Queen's has OUA first team All-Stars outside Joran Zeeman of Cambridge, Ont. and middle Michael Amoroso of Toronto. Zeeman was also named a CIS second team All-Canadian.



They both have had players represent their country, middle Rudy Verhoeff of Calgary and leftside Marc Howatson of Victoria from TWU and Zeeman and Amoroso from Queen's all played this past summer's on Canadian's junior national team, which placed 12th at the World Championships in Pune, India, while TWU's Doornenbal played for the Canadian juniors in 2006. In addition TWU's Marshall wore the nations red and white on the beach this past year at t= he World U21 Beach Championships in Blackpool, England. Both TWU and Queens each have players who have matched up against each other as representatives of their Provinces at the Canada Summer games tournament. Representing TWU were leftside Paul Lindemulder of Calgary and leftside Mikiah Schalk of Red Deer, Alta. with gold medalist Team Alberta and setter Ben Ball of Abbotsford, B.C., Howatson, Doornenbal and Verhoeff with bronze medalist Team BC and playing with silver medalist Team Ontario and representing Queens were Amoroso, setter Dan Rosenbaum of Hamilton and outside Niko Rukavina of Mississauga, Ont.



In contrast: the Gaels are led by long-time coach Brenda Willis who has been guiding Queens for 23 years, while the Spartans are led by Ben Josephson who is in his third year at the helm of TWU. Queens has won six OUA conference championships, including their third in the five years. Trinity Western = on the other hand has only managed one Canada West conference title in 2007. At the CIS tournament the Spartans have had more success. In their four appearances, between 2004 and 2007, the Spartans have earned four medals including raising the CIS banner in 2006. While in their history the best that the Gaels have done at the national championship is fifth place, which they achieved in 2005-06.



Both teams are hot right now. Queens is currently on a nine match winning streak, with their last loss occurring on Jan. 23 against Waterloo (3-1), while the Spartans have won six of their last nine including knocking off No.= 6 Winnipeg and No. 4 Calgary, as well as taking No. 3, and Canada West champion, Alberta to five sets in the gold medal match.



With both teams entering the tournament in fine form the quarter final match could come down to which coach has the best strategy and which team can execute the game plan under tournament conditions. Each team has their strengths and weaknesses. They both can score from the end line and both teams have strong middle's. The Spartans probably have the edge on the leftside with Marshall and Howatson, while the Gaels most likely have the upper hand o= n the rightside with Zeeman.



Both schools are also in line for hosting the CIS tournament. TWU is up next year, while Queens will receive the host spot in 2012. Each would no doubt like to head towards those championships with their players having experienced playing in a CIS championship medal match, which will only happen if = they come out on top in Friday's match-up.



Anyway you look at the opening battle, the outcome will probably come down to which team's "big dogs" step up and take over the match.



-TW-


Scott Stewart
Sports Information Director
Trinity Western University
ssstew@twu.ca
604.513.2123 office
604.764.1533 cell
604.513.2065
Gospartans.ca