2025 MVB Championship Day One Quarterfinals Recap

Game 1 Summary: Lethbridge Polytechnic Kodiaks 3, NAIT Ooks 0

The Elite Promotional Marketing 2025 ACAC Men's Volleyball Championships opened at Lakeland College in Lloydminster, AB, with the Lethbridge Polytechnic Kodiaks (S2) facing the defending ACAC and CCAA National Champions, NAIT Ooks (N3).

This quarterfinal was a rematch of the 2024 ACAC Championship, where NAIT edged LPK in five sets. LPK entered the tournament on a nine-game winning streak, while NAIT had won seven of their last eight.

The opening set saw both teams trading kills, setting the tone for a high-energy playoff battle. Fifth-year outside hitter Nolan Moes made his presence felt early, helping LPK establish control. Despite NAIT's tenacious defense, LPK maintained the lead to take the set 25-17.

The second set followed a similar pattern, with LPK gaining an early lead. NAIT stayed within two to three points, largely due to Joel Nickel and his dominance at the net. However, LPK held strong, securing the set 25-22.

NAIT came out firing in the third set, jumping to a 6-2 lead and forcing an early LPK timeout. Finn Howard was a key presence in the middle, but the Kodiaks' offensive persistence—led by Moes and Kohlbe Anderson —proved too much. Setter Mason Gorski and outside hitter Nolan Moes were named Players of the Match for NAIT and LPK, respectively. 

Game 2 Summary: Keyano College Huskies 3, Briercrest College Clippers 1 

The second match of the 2025 ACAC Men's Volleyball Championship featured the top-ranked North team, the Keyano College Huskies, against the fourth seed from the South, the Briercrest College Clippers. Keyano entered the tournament with a dominant 17-2 record and a #5 national ranking, while Briercrest fought their way into the playoffs at 9-10, aiming to improve on last season's sixth-place finish. The Huskies, last year's ACAC silver medalists, had their sights set on redemption after falling to NAIT, the eventual CCAA National Champions, in the 2024 final. 

The match opened with high energy from both benches, but it was the Clippers who stunned the Huskies early, forcing an early Keyano timeout. Jeremy Martens a newly crowned ACAC All-Conference Setter, controlled Briercrest's offense, distributing the ball effectively to Carson Vos and Marc Revet A series of costly Keyano errors, including a misplay that sent the ball into the ceiling, allowed Briercrest to pull off a first-set upset, 25-22.

That early loss lit a fire under the Huskies—one that never burned out. Rafael Pareda, an ACAC North All-Conference Outside Hitter, took control in the second set, leading Keyano on both sides of the floor. His dominance propelled the Huskies to a commanding 25-13 victory, shifting the momentum completely.

By the third set, ACAC North Player of the Year Althus Silva proved exactly why he holds the title. Recently crowned the ACAC's all-time blocks leader, Silva put on a defensive clinic, tallying four blocks and nine kills. Alongside him, fellow All-Conference selection Joao Cunha fueled Keyano's offense, while Revet continued to shine for Briercrest. The Huskies claimed the third set 25-19, inching closer to victory. 

Briercrest refused to go down without a fight, keeping the fourth set tight. However, Keyano's offensive firepower, led by setter Noah Gagné, continued to dictate the pace. Despite the Clippers' resilience, the Huskies never relinquished the lead, securing the match with another 25-19 set win. 

Keyano advances to the semi-finals, where they will face Lethbridge Polytechnic on Friday at 6:00 p.m. MST. Briercrest will battle NAIT in a consolation matchup at 1:00 p.m. MST on Friday. 

Photo by Sierrah Bennett

Game 3 Summary: Lakeland College Rustlers 3, Olds College Broncos 2

The Lakeland College Rustlers (N2) took on the Olds College Broncos (S3) in the third quarterfinal. The host Rustlers (17-5) entered with home-court momentum, while the Broncos (10-9) aimed to play spoiler. Lakeland had won their lone regular-season meeting 3-1, but the pressure of a semi-final spot added a new level of intensity to this matchup.

Olds came out strong, with All-Conference outside hitter Matheus Franca silencing the crowd with a thunderous kill. Lakeland quickly answered with a kill from Gabriel Brinchmann Bjorkas, bringing the home fans to life. Despite early missed serves from both sides, Olds' aggressive play forced the Rustlers into an early timeout. Right-side Aiden Maier continued his strong second-half form, while Bjorkas used his experience to keep Lakeland in the set. A back-and-forth battle saw the teams tied at 24-24 before a costly Broncos service error gave Lakeland set point. A monster block from Declan Mercer secured the 26-24 win for the Rustlers.

Franca and Victor Reis kept the Broncos' offense rolling in the second set, while Lakeland found success through multiple attacking lanes. Olds took an early 9-5 lead, capitalizing on Rustlers' defensive errors. Setter Sean Vanderzee caught Lakeland off guard with sneaky second-ball plays, but Bjorkas responded with a clutch service ace and a crucial block to tie the game at 19-19. Three consecutive missed serves between the teams kept the set tense, but Lakeland held on to win another close one, 26-24, taking a 2-0 match lead.

Olds refused to back down in the third set, led by dominant play from Strahinja Lazarevic. The Rustlers struggled to contain the Broncos' offense and called an early timeout down 7-2. Frustrations mounted as tensions boiled over, leading to a yellow card for Olds' Aidyn Phillips. Lakeland attempted to shift momentum with substitutions, including Noah Piggot and Vaughn Zimmer, but Olds held strong to win the set 25-21.

With the match still up for grabs, Franca and Lazarevic continued to lead the Broncos in the fourth set. Meanwhile, Maier and Bjorkas remained key contributors for Lakeland. However, a string of unforced errors proved costly for the Rustlers, allowing Olds to maintain control. Despite a late push from Lakeland, the Broncos forced a decisive fifth set with a 25-19 victory.

Feeding off the energy of the home crowd, Lakeland came out firing in the final frame. Maier opened with a crucial dig leading to a Rustlers point, followed by a massive kill from Brock Tomyn. Olds attempted to rally, but Maier's back-to-back kills helped Lakeland pull away. Bjorkas delivered the final blow with a kill off the block, sealing a dominant 15-6 win and punching Lakeland's ticket to the semifinals.

Franca (16 kills) earned Player of the Match for Olds, while Bjorkas (9 kills, 4 aces, 5 digs) claimed the honor for Lakeland.

Game 4 Summary: Red Deer Polytechnic Kings 3, University of Alberta Augustana Vikings 0 

The final match of the night featured the nation's top-ranked Red Deer Polytechnic Kings taking on the fourth-seeded University of Alberta Augustana Vikings. With both head coaches—Aaron Schulha (RDP) and Devin Varga (Augustana)—named ACAC Coaches of the Year for their respective divisions, the stage was set for a competitive showdown. Both teams were backed by energetic fan sections, adding to the electric atmosphere inside the Lakeland College gym.

Despite the disparity in regular-season records, the first set was tightly contested early on. Both teams struggled with unforced errors, but Red Deer's composure and confidence shone through. As the set progressed, the Kings' offense hit its stride, with middle Owen Langberg delivering four kills. A crucial block from Brett Lower sealed the set for RDP, 25-19.

Lower carried his momentum into the second set, opening with a kill, followed by another from Langberg. Augustana's struggles from the service line allowed the Kings to dictate the pace, with ACAC South Player of the Year Colby Nemeth proving lethal from the outside. Despite Red Deer's firepower, the Vikings remained resilient, backed by their vocal supporters. Outside hitters Boris Kuljanin and Devin Nazarchuk led the charge, keeping the score tight. Augustana evened the game at 19-19, but Red Deer responded with a late surge, closing out the set 25-21.

The Kings asserted full control in the third set, with Nemeth and Lower continuing to dominate. Setter Brett Theise orchestrated the offense masterfully, distributing kills across the lineup. Red Deer capped off a commanding performance with smart ball placement from Theise, clinching the sweep with a decisive 25-13 victory.

Brett Lower earned Player of the Game honors for Red Deer, while Devin Nazarchuk was recognized for Augustana.

The Kings advance to the semi-finals against the host Lakeland College Rustlers on Friday at 8:00 p.m. MST, while the Vikings will face Olds College at 3:00 p.m. MST.

Photo by Sierrah Bennett