Three Stars: Ivicak, Vriend, Cornelis earn honours
MacEwan Athletics
EDMONTON – Women's basketball student-athlete Kayla Ivicak is the MacEwan Athletics first star of the week after posting back-to-back double doubles in the team's final weekend of the season.
With 39 points and 20 rebounds in two losses at the playoff-bound Victoria Vikes, Ivicak tied her own MacEwan record for most double doubles in a Canada West season with nine.
Other athletes recognized this week include second star Max Vriend of the men's volleyball team and third star Hailey Cornelis of the women's volleyball team.
Ivicak is being recognized for the third time this season, having previously been named second star on Nov. 13 and first star on Nov. 27. Vriend is also making his third appearance as he was third star on Nov. 13 and first star on Dec. 4. Cornelis cracks the list for the second time in 2018-19 after also being named third star on Jan. 15.
1st star: Kayla Ivicak, G, women's basketball
St. Albert, AB, fifth-year, Commerce
In the final weekend of her illustrious five-year university career, Ivicak recorded back-to-back double doubles to tie her own MacEwan University record for most in a Canada West season with nine in 2018-19. She previously had nine in the 2017-18 season.
In Friday's 59-50 loss at Victoria, Ivicak accounted for more than half of MacEwan's scoring, bucketing 26 points in a 59-50 loss. She added 10 rebounds and a steal.
In Saturday's 87-58 defeat, the St. Albert product produced a team-high 13 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and a steal to tie the record.
That also gives her 22 career double doubles, tied for 12th best in Canada West history.
Ivicak finishes the season with an average of 12.3 points per game, 10.1 rebounds and 1.9 steals – the latter two marks in the Canada West top 10.
2nd star: Max Vriend, OH, men's volleyball
Barrhead, AB, fourth-year, Commerce
Vriend produced 30 kills over seven sets against nationally-ranked Calgary over the weekend, proving to be the most dynamic player on the court for the Griffins and arguably for either team.
In Friday's 3-0 loss, Vriend had a match-high 13 kills and 15.0 points, adding three blocks and a dig.
In Saturday's 3-1 loss, the Griffins got back into the match when head coach Brad Poplawski switched Vriend from the right to the left and it paid off with the big Barrhead product hammering down 17 kills. He added three digs and a block in accounting for a team-high 17.5 points.
For the season, Vriend leads the Griffins with 214 kills and 53 blocks.
Max Vriend recorded 30 kills over seven sets against nationally-ranked Calgary last weekend (Chris Piggott photo).
3rd star: Hailey Cornelis, OH, women's volleyball
Legal, AB, fourth-year, Arts
With their playoff hopes slipping away from them, the Griffins needed a big effort against the newly-minted U SPORTS No. 1 Calgary Dinos. And they got one.
The team stepped up to earn a weekend split that moves them back into a tie for the eighth and final playoff spot. Outside hitter Hailey Cornelis led the way in Saturday's 3-2 win, recording a team-high 17 kills and accounting for 19.0 points. She also added two aces and 12 digs.
Cornelis was also the Griffins' leader in Friday's 3-0 loss to Calgary, recording 10 kills, 10 digs, two blocks and accounting for 11.0 points.
For the season, Cornelis is third on the Griffins with 146 kills and leads the team with 175 digs.
Hailey Cornelis led the way for the Griffins over the weekend as they earned a split against U SPORTS No. 1 Calgary (Chris Piggott photo).
