On Friday night in Abbotsford, the visiting Avalanche—ranked #1 in the CCAA entering the new year—kept their momentum rolling with a 3–1 victory over the CBC Bearcats. COTR came out sharp, cruising to a 25–18 first-set win behind a strong offensive start from opposite Dylan Annala, who recorded nine points in the opener. Momentum briefly swung in the second set as a stretch of Avalanche hitting errors allowed the Bearcats to even the match at one set apiece.
The Avs responded the way top teams do. Strong serving runs from Boston Thiessen, Albert Francisco, and Annala helped COTR reassert control in the third set, and this time they never let it slip. Carrying that momentum into the fourth, the Avalanche closed out the match with a 25–19 win. Annala finished the night with a dominant 29-point performance, while Thiessen orchestrated the offence with 44 assists. On the reception side, Jace Wilson delivered a steady performance, passing 2.23 while handling targeted pressure.
After the match, head coach Cisco Farrero highlighted the significance of the road win, noting that the Avs were dealing with illness and lingering injuries coming out of the break. He praised the group's defensive identity, pointing to Reece Clarke, Albert Francisco, and Thiessen as once again forming a strong and reliable unit. Farrero also emphasized Wilson's importance on reception, saying CBC tried to target him and "he answered the call," before singling out Annala's efficiency, calling his 24 kills and 29 points in just four sets a dominant performance.
Saturday night brought a familiar script but an even grittier finish. The Avs once again opened with authority, taking the first set 25–18, only to see the Bearcats respond by controlling the second. The third set turned into a back-and-forth battle filled with highlight-reel rallies, until an unexpected spark swung the match. Second-year left side Gage McDonald came off the bench and immediately changed the tone of the gym, delivering a massive solo block that ignited the Avalanche. Riding that momentum, COTR edged out the set 25–23.
With energy on their side, the Avs pulled ahead midway through the fourth set and finished off the match 25–20 to complete the road sweep. Annala led the offence with 13 kills, while Noah Hadwen was dominant through the middle with 10 kills. On the left side, McDonald, Jace Wilson, Albert Francisco, and Jared Rilling combined for 20 kills, showcasing the depth of the Avalanche lineup. Defensively, Francisco and libero Reece Clarke were outstanding, recording 16 and 17 digs, respectively.
Farrero summed up Saturday's performance as "an awesome, gritty, team win," emphasizing how impactful the Avs' depth proved to be. He credited unheralded contributions across the lineup, from Francisco and Clarke anchoring the defence to McDonald and Rilling delivering key plays off the bench. Farrero noted that while the roster's depth may sometimes be overlooked, "everyone on our team knows how good the entire lineup is," and that Saturday's win was a direct result of that belief.