Alberta, Trinity Western to meet in U Sports men’s volleyball championship

EDMONTON — The host University of Alberta Golden Bears will face the No. 1 Trinity Western Spartans for the U Sports men’s volleyball championship.

No. 7 Alberta downed the No. 3 UBC Thunderbirds in five-sets Saturday’s first semifinal, while Trinity Western beat the No. 5 McMaster Marauders in four sets in the late semi.

Fifth-year Golden Bears outside hitter Ryan Nickifor finished with a game-high 22 kills, adding eight digs and three block assists as Alberta took the match 25-23, 25-15, 20-25, 20-25, 15-11.

“It’s just one of those matches where you have to come out and swing away. It was a great battle. You can’t back down, you have to be willing to go for every ball,” said Nickifor. “I think that was exactly the mentality we had. You don’t want to play not to lose, you want to play to win that kind of game.”