Battling the best > Women’s Basketball faces off against the Blues Davie Wong Sports Editor always look forward to these games. Not only is Capilano a good team, they are undisputedly the best team in the PACWEST this year. As an undefeated team, they are the team to beat. For the Royals, this was a fight to prove themselves against the league’s best squad. And boy did it not disappoint. From the start of the game, it was action packed. The Royals executed wonderfully to open the game. They managed to grab 16 points while keeping the Blues to just 6 points in the first quarter. While the first quarter was exciting, the second quarter was a bit messier and definitely a thriller. Neither team could really get too much on the board as shots just didn’t make it. While the defensive show was spectacular, six points from the Royals and four points from the Blues is hardly what either coach would expect or want. Going into half time, the score was netted up 20-14. The third quarter was a fantastic display of skill from both sides. The Blues Two of the best collide snagged the lead a couple of times in the quarter, managing to score 23 points in the process. However, if it’s anything the Royals have been this season, it’s been > Women’s volleyball powerhouse clash Davie Wong Sports Editor ell I'd be lying if I said I hadn't been waiting for this match since the beginning of the season. The defending National champions, the VIU Mariners, are coming to play the Douglas College Royals in what will likely be a battle of epic proportions. The best ranked team in the CCAA are definitely no push overs. Witha record of 15-3, they have more than dominated the PACWEST this season. With 3 of their players in the top 10 kills per set in the PACWEST, and 3 in the top 10 total offensive stats per set in the PACWEST, the VIU roster is definitely not short on talent. Their record also speaks to their skill. Having gone 5-1 since the second half of the season, the Mariners are currently on a five game tear. With their games last weekend being postponed, they could very well be coming into the Royals court having had a full week’s worth of rest. Definitely not a good premonition for the Royals. However, the Royals have their own things going for them. Right up there in the standings with VIU, the Royals share the illustrious top spot with the Mariners, holding a record of 15-5. The Royals also have a squad that can go toe to toe with any player on the Mariners line-up. Juliana Penner, Vicki Schley, and Vania Oliveira are just some of the heavy hitters the Royals have going for them. In the middle they line up two of the best blockers in the league in Georgia Hurry and Autumn Davidson. And covering them defensively is Claudia Corneil, who is pound-for- pound one of the best at her position of libero in the PACWEST and maybe even CCAA. While not as dominant as the Mariners, the Royals have still been on top of their form, going 6-2 since the beginning of the second half of the season. However, one of the most important factors happen to be who the Royals already beat. One of the Mariners’ clutch. They managed to keep themselves in the lead, scoring 18 points. nearly managed to pull out a win, but the Royals put players just where they needed to be, and scored just enough points to keep them afloat. The Royals picked up the win 57-51. The Royals could thank a couple of players for that win. Ellen Fallis had a massive night, picking up 21 points and 7 rebounds. Rachel Beauchamp also had a fantastic 18-point performance, with 9 rebounds to boot. The win snapped the Blues’ 13-game win-streak and brought the Royals one game closer to the coveted first seed. They currently sit behind the Blues, trailing them by three games, and sit ahead of the VIU Mariners by a single game. However, the Royals have a game that has yet to be played. Due to the snow, the Royals game against the CBC Bearcats was rescheduled. The Bearcats, who sit at the bottom of the table winless, face off against the Royals sometime this week. It should be an easy win for the Royals, which will bring them within two of the Blues, and two away from the Mariners. This would grant them a real chance of fighting for the first seed, while also allowing them some semblance of security. Photo by Davie Wong The Blues had one last effort, and BCCAA WY LY Cy BCCAA ayy Photo by Davie Wong three losses belongs to the Royals, who defeated them handily in a 3-1 bout. So we know that the Mariners can be beat, and we definitely know that the Royals can beat them. While the idea of the Mariners coming off a bye week is terrifying, they still have to travel to Douglas, which we know is quite the journey in and of itself. While part of me hopes that their ferry ride is long and draining, I also want to see these two teams performing at their peaks. After all, this could very well be a preview of the PACWEST Championship Finals.