Heading into the weekend, the Avalanche sat in 3rd place in the PACWEST, with Camosun close behind in 4th. With both teams' playoff positioning likely coming down to the final stretch of the season, these two matches carried major implications.
On Friday night in Cranbrook, the Avs started quickly against the visiting Chargers, jumping ahead early before Camosun responded with a late push to force extra points. The Avalanche held their nerve, and a composed finish gave them a 27–25 opening-set victory. In the second set, COTR took control from the start, backed by a strong defensive performance led by Stevie Friesen, whose timely digs helped maintain the lead throughout the frame.
The third set was the most dramatic of the night, with both teams trading points all the way to 23–23. The Avalanche defense rose to the moment, turning key stops into transition points, and Sloane Brodner sealed the sweep with a decisive kill for a 3–0 match victory. Hannah Gray and Brodner each finished with 8 kills, while Kayla Brasok added 7, rounding out a balanced COTR attack.
On Saturday afternoon, the two teams met again, and the rematch opened with another tight, competitive set. Despite a strong start from the Avalanche, the Chargers came up with clutch plays late to take the first set. From there, Camosun found their rhythm, controlling both the second and third sets to earn a 3–0 win of their own. Isla Roden contributed 3 kills and an ace, while Friesen once again led the defense with 10 digs.
Head Coach Bryan reflected on the weekend:
"Friday night was a culmination of all the hard work this team has been putting in. We had a number of areas we were focused on, and they showed up in a way that highlighted how well this group can perform when we're connected and supporting one another—it was some of our best volleyball of the season. Saturday, we didn't play anywhere near our expected level, and I still don't have a clear answer as to why. But we'll work hard this week to prepare for VIU, and I'm confident our athletes will rise to the challenge. It's going to be another exciting weekend for us."
The Avalanche now return home to host the 2nd-place VIU Mariners on February 6th and 7th, with Friday marking Senior Night for Hannah Zurakowski in her final home weekend.
