VIU Mariners in championship contention across several sports

Hyde knows better than anyone the process of winning at the highest level and before the first serve in January had even happened he had set his target for the most important match of the season.

“We play 24 matches to play one match and that’s the semi final at provincials. We lose that semi final and we don’t go to nationals, if we win, we will. Everything hinges on it,” Hyde said.

The men’s team had a solid first half putting up a record of 8-4, placing the team third in the PACWEST standings.

Coach Abe Avender is satisfied with the start but knows there’s room for improvement.

“We have nine new faces from the year before and that young blood brings in some compete. The whole mesh of how guys are is still coming together.”

Both VIU squads will start 2020 on the road against the University of the Fraser Valley Jan. 10 and 11.

For Matt Kuzminski’s mens basketball squad the new semester will start with what is going to feel like a playoff game.

The Mariners will take on the only team to beat them this season, the Douglas Royals Jan. 11 and 12.

“They’re currently 7-0 and we’re 5-1,” Kuzminski said. “I think that we’re the two best teams in the league. That’s the marquee matchup which is exciting, and it puts some emphasis for the guys to make sure they take care of training and conditioning over the break.”

The rivalry was given a lot of fuel in the 2019 post season.

Last year VIU beat Douglas in overtime to capture the PACWEST championship, paving their way to eventually win gold at the CCAA nationals.

The undefeated Mariner women used the holiday break to stay sharp.

They jumped out to a 6-0 start but have almost 50 days between league games.

Tony Bryce, like a lot of other coaches at VIU, put together a schedule of exhibition contests to keep his team sharp.

“We just got back from one heck of a road trip in Oregon. We got to play some highly skilled and athletic kids. I think it helped us become closer and bond more than we already are,” Bryce said.

The team will play further exhibition games Jan. 4 at Northwest University and Jan. 5 versus Dickinson State.

When they return to PACWEST competition against Douglas, the Mariners will do so as the number one ranked team in the CCAA.

The Mariners hockey program is not a part of the PACWEST, their league is the BCIHL.

The five team BC circuit has teams in Nanaimo, Victoria, Langley, Burnaby and Castlegar.

At the holiday break the Mariners had a 7-4-0-2 record which had them sitting second in the standings.

Overall coach Steve Paul liked what he saw in the first half of the year.

“I’m very proud of the way they played. We had a little bit of a slow start but we picked it up and as a team they’ve coming together quite nicely. I think the second half is going to prove we’re a contender for that banner.”

To get there they’ll need to climb over the 9-0 Trinity Western Spartans.

VIU has destiny in their own hands with four straight head to head games to open the month of February at the Nanaimo Ice Centre.

VIU’s first games of 2020 are Jan. 10 and 11 at Selkirk College.

dan@nanaimonewsnow.com

On twitter: @danmarshall77

by Dan Marshall

VIU Mariners in championship contention across several sports

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