NEWS RELEASES

04/01/05

The Malaspina Mariners women's volleyball team added a little joy to the holidays by winning its own tournament last week.
The M's hosted the second annual Malaspina Christmas Classic volleyball tournament at the MalU gymnasium Dec. 28-30, and ended up taking first place.
It was a much better result than last year, when the team served up a holiday turkey, finishing seventh.

This year, with just six teams entered in the tournament, a better finish was a foregone conclusion.
The lady M's began with pool play games against Douglas College and Bois-de-Boulogne, and had no difficulties, defeating the former 25-18, 25-13, 25-20 and the latter 25-15, 25-23, 25-14.
After emerging from the pool play portion of the tournament, the M's took on the Capilano College Blues in the semifinals. The visitors captured the first set, but the home team regrouped and won the final three sets 25-14, 25-14, 25-12.
In the final versus the Douglas College Royals, the Mariners won 25-12, 28-26, 25-17 to capture the tournament title.
Meanwhile, the Malaspina Mariners women's volleyball alumni team was eliminated by Douglas in the semifinals after going 1-1 in pool play.
The alumni M's were edged by Cap College in a tough match, going down 19-25, 25-22, 25-15, 23-25, 16-14, but defeated Durham College 25-22, 25-17, 25-21.
Mariner player Johanna Saunders was named the tournament's most valuable player, and her teammate Richelle Walton earned tournament all-star team honours.
Danielle Gaudet of the Malaspina Mariners alumni team also made the tournament all-star team.
For the Mariner women, the win over Cap College was particularly significant since the Blues are the top team in the B.C. Colleges' Athletic Association with a perfect 10-0 record. The M's are tied for second at 8-2.
The team will resume BCCAA league play Jan. 14 when it hosts the Langara Falcons at 6:30 p.m. The M's will be at home the next day, as well.