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Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference "To be Canada's premiere collegiate athletic conference by developing and inspiring leadership through excellence in academics, sport and citizenship"
Posted: Feb 18, 2023

Clippers Tame Lions in Three, Advance to ACAC Championships

Box Score
Game Leaders
AMB
K: Joshua Nickel - 13
B: Noah Verhoef - 3
D: Carter McLenahan - 4
SA: 4 Players (#1, #5, #11, #15) - 1
BC
K: Karym Coleman - 17
B: Noah Dirsten - 5
D: Brady Watchel - 15
SA: 2 Players (#1, #11) - 3
Team Stats
Full stats

by Jeff Misener

The Briercrest Clippers hosted the Ambrose Lions in a play-in match to determine a spot in next week's ACAC men's volleyball championships. The defending bronze medallists from 2021-22, Briercrest held the advantage in all the key offensive and defensive metrics. Additionally, the Clippers have All-Conference libero Brady Watchel leading the ACAC in digs and CCAA AllCanadian hitter Karym Coleman miles ahead of the field in kills.

Briercrest celebrated a dream start with setter Jeremy Martens and outside hitters Judah Matthies and Jackson Anderson banging aces. Martens also connected early with middle Tyson Nachtigall for a series of kills. A monstrous stuff block by Nachtigall on former Clipper Josh Nickel brought the Briercrest crowd to their feet. Unfazed, Nickel painted the sideline for an ace. The Lions' outside hitters started to find success, but Karym Coleman dented the floor from the right side with several imposing attacks. A kill from Anderson gave Briercrest the opening set, 25-18.

Nachtigall delivered an one-armed block early in set two and Martens continued to handcuff the Lions with his potent serving. Nickel supplied the early outside power for Ambrose, but the visiting Lions found the middle impassible thanks to the energetic defense of Nachtigall and Noah Dirsten. Jackson and Ambrose rookie Noah Verhoef traded bombs on the outside, while Martens distributed the ball to all his attackers with precision and success. Down the stretch, Nikita Marchenkov drew the visitors close on serve, but a block from Dirsten closed the set, 25- 21.

Coleman continued to pummel the ball in set three, but Verhoef, Nickel and Matthew Clements steadied the Lions' attack. Briercrest levelled the set on blocks by Nachtigall and Davis Borden. A huge block by Verhoef on Jackson gave Ambrose a short-lived edge, but Coleman rolled up his sleeves on the right side yet again and Dirsten provided a key middle block. After Nickel knotted the set, the Clippers found the resilience they needed to hold firm down the stretch and take the final set, 31-29.

Matthew Clements secured Player of the Game recognition for the Ambrose Lions as he contributed three kills, two digs and an ace for his team. Earning the award for Briercrest was veteran setter Jeremy Martens, who distributed 32 assists to go along with eight digs and a kill. The Clippers will now advance to the ACAC Championships hosted by Keyano College