Skip to navigation Skip to content Skip to footer

OCAA Volleyball - Quarterfinals Preview

A split photo banner with a female and male volleyball player spiking volleyballs.

Home-Court Advantage: Condors Take on St. Clair in Playoff Action

The Conestoga Condors men’s volleyball team is heading into the OCAA quarterfinals with confidence after a strong performance in the playoff qualifying round. The Condors secured a 3-1 victory over the George Brown Huskies on home court, setting the stage for an exciting matchup against the St. Clair Saints. The Saints advanced after a hard-fought 3-2 win over the Georgian Grizzlies. With a semifinal berth on the line, both teams are expected to bring their best to the court.

Head Coach Jordan Kerrdyck emphasized the importance of preparation and trusting the team’s system. “Same thing we’ve done all year after a game: Rest/recover, analyze the game tape so we can get back in the gym continuing to hone our craft.” Having already faced St. Clair three times this season—including two regular-season wins in November and another victory in a winter break tournament—Kerrdyck sees familiarity as an advantage. “I find it gets easier the more times you play against a team, it gives us more confidence and a mental advantage as well.”

The key to success against the Saints, according to Kerrdyck, lies in the team’s mindset and discipline. “Our team needs to continue to play with joy to help them objectively recognize what is the best decision to make in any given situation. We must believe in our system and stick to the game plan. We have acquired all the necessary skills to be successful, now we need to trust in the process and apply the techniques and tactics we’ve been honing all year.”

Team captain Evan Kritz reflected on the importance of the Condors’ first playoff win. “Getting the first win of the playoffs under the team’s belt was amazing for morale. That first game is typically where some of the nerves start to set in and although we started slow, I don’t think the guys could’ve handled the pressure any better.”

With the quarterfinal approaching, Kritz stressed the importance of fundamentals. “In order to refocus for the quarterfinals against St. Clair, the men’s volleyball team is focusing on getting back to the basics of playing good serve and pass volleyball, which will allow our offense and defense to perform at their highest levels.”

Kritz also believes that having home-court advantage in the quarterfinals is a significant boost. “Having the home court match this Saturday is super exciting. The energy that our home fans brought was fantastic, and we look forward to this last opportunity to play in front of them.”

Key Players to Watch

Conestoga Condors:

Tyrell Belgrove - 15 kills, .333 hitting percentage vs. George Brown

Walker Kalin - 12 kills, .391 hitting percentage vs. George Brown

Evan Kritz - 8 kills, 3 service aces vs. George Brown

Yannick Krauss - 35 assists, 11 digs vs. George Brown

St. Clair Saints:

Kale Wilkinson - 22 kills, .265 hitting percentage vs. Georgian

Zach Walls - 20 kills, .909 hitting percentage vs. Georgian

Nick Kwiatkowski - 57 assists, 3 service aces vs. Georgian

Arthur Richard - 12 kills, 5 digs vs. Georgian 

Match Details:

Date: Saturday, February 15th 

Time: 6:00 PM

Location: Student Recreation Centre - Doon Campus

Watch Live: Stream the match on OCAA Live

With momentum on their side and home-court advantage, the Condors are prepared to take on St. Clair in a highly anticipated quarterfinal showdown. Don’t miss the action—come out to the Student Recreation Centre to cheer on the Condors or tune in live on OCAA Live and support the team on their playoff journey!

High Stakes Showdown: Condors Set for Quarterfinal Clash Against the Fanshawe Falcons

The Conestoga Condors women’s volleyball team is heading into the OCAA quarterfinals with confidence after a historic upset over the previously undefeated Seneca Sting in the playoff qualifying round. This was the first time in OCAA women’s volleyball history that an 8 seed has beaten a 1 seed in an OCAA crossover playoff match. The 3-1 road victory showcased the Condors’ depth, teamwork, and determination as they silenced the home crowd and kept their championship aspirations alive.

This week, Conestoga hits the road once again to face the Fanshawe Falcons at the Glenn Johnston Athletic Centre in London, ON. Fanshawe advanced to this match via a straight sets 3-0 win over the Centennial Colts last Saturday. The Condors and Falcons split their regular-season matchups, with Fanshawe winning the season opener 3-1 and the Condors responding with a dominant 3-0 victory in their final regular match of the year. With both teams familiar with each other’s playstyles, this matchup promises to be an intense battle for a spot in the OCAA Championship tournament. 

Head Coach Matthew Schnarr emphasized the importance of staying focused and preparing with the same mindset that led to success against Seneca. “Enjoy the ride. We just need to focus on the day in front of us and prepare the same way we did last week for the round of 16. We will be playing in a tough environment and will need to ensure we stay connected and keep it about us.” He acknowledged the challenge of facing a team they have played multiple times this season. “Essentially we have now played Fanshawe three (2 regular season and 1 exhibition) times this season. We will be familiar with each other. I have so much respect for their coach, so we will go in and compete like how we know and let the chips fall where they may.”

Schnarr also outlined what the Condors need to do to be successful against Fanshawe. “We need to take care of each other. We need to stay as one unit. This could be the determining factor for us as a final four team. On the court, we need to serve, pass, and dig to give ourselves a chance. If we continue to show up each day and take care of the little things, we will compete well against the four seed.”

Team captain Bianca Marchetti reflected on the emotional high of their win over Seneca. “I am still speechless. I was talking to most of the girls after the match, and most were saying that we all felt that we were going to win that day regardless of Seneca’s 18-0 record. Matt always said teams should not want to play us in a crossover match, and he was correct. Our energy was unmatched, our connection was strong, and we all believed that we had the strength to beat this team.”

Looking ahead, Marchetti emphasized the importance of refocusing for this weekend’s challenge. “After the huge win on Saturday, this week the team needs to have another productive week of practices. Last week we remained focused and stuck to the game plan all week leading up to the match, which helped with our success against the Sting. We also need to be taking care of ourselves extra on and off the court as we still have business to finish.” She also noted that their prior success against Fanshawe does not guarantee another win. “Our last encounter with Fanshawe was majorly successful, but teams always have a bit of edge in playoffs, so it is still anyone’s game. Our game plan we prepared for them worked to a T, so we just have to revisit that and remain focused. As the underdogs, we continue to have nothing to lose, so we just must continue to stay unified, remain confident, and continue to play the best volleyball we have all season.”

Key Players to Watch

Conestoga Condors:

  • Abby Sluys - 19 kills, .370 hitting percentage vs. Seneca
  • Bianca Marchetti - 17 kills, .341 hitting percentage vs. Seneca
  • Serena Grant - 4 kills, .400 hitting percentage vs. Seneca
  • Althea Rabano - 36 assists, 4 service aces vs. Seneca

 Fanshawe Falcons:

  • Jaime Worsfold - 9 kills, .471 hitting percentage vs. Centennial
  • Grace McLean - 9 kills, .389 hitting percentage vs. Centennial
  • Charlee Akehurst - 5 kills, 4 service aces vs. Centennial
  • Ally Taylor - 25 assists, 3 service aces vs. Centennial

Match Details:

  • Date: Saturday, February 15th
  • Time: 1:00 PM
  • Location: Glenn Johnston Athletic Centre, London, ON
  • Watch Live: Stream the match on OCAA Live

The Condors are ready to rise to the occasion and battle for a spot in the OCAA Championship tournament. With their eyes set on victory, they’ll leave it all on the court. Stay tuned for updates as Conestoga continues its thrilling playoff run!