MVB: Alberta stays hot, clinches Final Four berth with win over Winnipeg

EDMONTON - The Alberta Golden Bears are on their way to the Canada West Final Four after a thrilling four-set (25-17, 19-25, 27-25, 25-17) victory over the Winnipeg Wesmen Saturday night at the Saville Centre.

It will be the first Final Four appearance for Alberta in nearly two years, as last season was canceled due to the pandemic. For the Wesmen, the loss moves them to 0-2 and ends their season with 1-1 Brandon University taking the second and final Pool E berth.

The Final Four is no stranger to the Golden Bears program, having placed in the CW Top 4 now an astonishing 32 times in the last 33 seasons.

Fifth-year Bears setter Max Elgert was a key factor in the win, recording 40 assists to go with four kills and six digs in a dominant performance from the CW first-team all-star.

Daniel Thiessen, fellow first-team all-star, was a bright spot for the losing side, posting 19 kills on 49 attempts to go along with two blocks. Setter Michael Corrigan had a second good performance in as many nights for Winnipeg, orchestrating the offence with 40 assists.

The first set was a see-saw affair to begin, trickling to a 16-14 advantage for the home side at the technical timeout. Both teams featured an efficient attack, with the Wesmen's Nigel Nielsen and the Golden Bear's Jordan Canham leading the offence for the two sides. With some coaching from Brock Davidiuk at the break, the Bears would take control of the set. A 9-3 run would lead to a 25-17 Alberta set win. Canham paced the Bears with five kills, while the Wesmen's Nielsen led the team with five of his own. Alberta's CW-leading efficiency reared its head in the set, with the team boasting a .619 hitting percentage.

The Wesmen attack woke up in the second set, starting with a 12-7 run that featured three kills on three swings from Nielsen. Winnipeg dominated at the net, recording three total blocks to Alberta's zero. Michael Corrigan and William Racano paced the Wesmen with a block each. While a youth injection from first-year Bryce Neus brough the Bears to within three, Thiessen and the Wesmen would end on a 4-1 run to win the set 25-19. Nielsen and Thiessen were the conductors for a Winnipeg attack that hit at a .407 percentage, compared to the Bears .211.

Alberta grinded out a 16-13 lead at the third set technical timeout, helped largely by five attack errors committed by an otherwise efficient Wesmen offence to that point. Landon Currie was a man on a mission in the Alberta backline making five digs in the frame, many of which were highlight-reel. The teams traded blows in the set leading to a 25-25 tie after the Wesmen thoroughly dominated play at the net. Enter Graydon Wiebe; the second-year middle blocked two straight Wesmen attacks for points as Alberta survived with a 27-25 set victory. Thiessen recaptured his CW first-team form in the frame, recording eight kills on 21 swings.

Wiebe's play seemed to inspire the Bears, as they took full control of the fourth set in a 25-17 victory. Alberta led 16-10 at the technical timeout and would not look back from there. Alberta's Jacob Dienum would impress in the set, recording three kills on three swings.

While the Wesmen's season comes to an end, Alberta will travel to Langley, BC, in a Final Four where they will face the Calgary Dinos, Brandon Bobcats, and the host Trinity Western Spartans.