Brent Mutis
CapU sports info
Heading into unfriendly territory minus one of their best defensive weapons, the Capilano Blues faced a tough test at Camosun College but a solid team game and some in-game resilience came through in a pair of 3-1 wins.
The two victories improve CapU's record to 8-6 as they moved one game up on Camosun for third spot in the PACWEST standings.
Capilano went to Camosun minus the PACWEST's blocks and blocks-per-set leader in Natalie Rourke who was battling an illness, but the other net protectors in the Blues lineup picked up the slack with Jayden Easingwood getting in on seven blocks for the weekend and Sibby Bos getting in on six.
While the Blues blocking schemes rattled the Chargers hitters, so did the outstanding work of Anika Gatto in behind the front row as the Blues' libero repeatedly left her feet to rescue would-be kills and keep the ball alive for her teammates. Gatto was also near flawless on serve receive as she handled 51 serves with just four miscues.
Capilano dropped the opening set Friday but tidied things up quickly from there, taking the next three sets on the strength of 14 kills from Nnya Mbaoma, which included 12 over the three sets the Blues won. She also served up three of her four aces in the clinching set. Annika Kuznik was also deadly in the fourth frame, with four of her 10 kills on the night. It was the fourth time this season she's reached double digits in kills.
In Saturday's rematch, CapU was dominant in the opening set with a 25-13 win and after dropping the second frame, they claimed the third and fourth to complete the weekend sweep. Sibby Bos filled her stat line with seven kills and two aces while getting in on three blocks. Mbaoma chalked up 16 more kills, giving her 30 over eiight sets for the weekend.
The Blues have a big home weekend ahead with the second-place Douglas College Royals (9-7) paying a visit on Friday, Feb. 2 and Saturday, Feb. 3. Friday's game will feature former Blues championship teams including the 2004 men's team, the 2007 women's team and the 2020 men's team. Saturday's game will honour this year's graduating Blues players.
