MacEwan Athletics
EDMONTON – Women's volleyball student-athlete Mariah Bereziuk is the MacEwan Athletics' first star of the week after leading the Griffins to their first win of the Canada West season on Saturday.
The second-year outside hitter had a match-high 14 kills as the Griffins beat the Calgary Dinos 3-2 on the final game of the regular season.
Men's basketball student-athlete Jesse Trussler and men's volleyball's Alexei Walisser were named the second and third stars, respectively.
Both Bereziuk and Trussler are appearing on the list for the first time in 2021-22, while Walisser is earning his second honour of the season, having previously been named second star on Nov. 30.
1st STAR: Mariah Bereziuk, OH, women's volleyball
Boyle, AB, second-year, Commerce
With a huge performance in the Griffins' final game of the regular season, the emerging outside hitter led MacEwan to its first victory of 2021-22.
In Saturday's 3-2 win over the Calgary Dinos, Bereziuk recorded a match-high 14 kills on a .258 hitting percentage, adding six digs and two blocks.
In Friday's 3-0 loss to the Dinos, Bereziuk tied for the Griffins' lead in kills with five and added nine digs.
For the season, the Boyle, Alta. product led MacEwan in kills/set (2.39) and was second in kills (98). She also topped the team in digs/set (1.61).
Jesse Trussler led the Griffins with 22 points in a pair of games against Lethbridge to close out the 2021-22 regular season (Railene Hooper photo).
2nd STAR: Jesse Trussler, PG, men's basketball
Regina, SK, third-year, Arts
The Griffins' veteran point guard was the team's most consistent player in a two-game series against Lethbridge to wrap up the 2021-22 regular season.
Trussler set the tone in both games for a young Griffins squad that perhaps had its best game of the campaign in Friday's 84-70 loss.
In that contest, Trussler had nine points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals in 27 minutes on the court.
In Saturday's 95-73 defeat, he recorded 13 points, to go along with two rebounds and two assists.
For the season, he finished seventh on the Griffins with 6.7 points/game and was third in assists/game (1.9).
Trussler leads the Griffins into the Canada West playoffs this weekend as they meet Trinity Western on Thursday (6 p.m. in Calgary, Canada West TV presented by Co-op).
Alexei Walisser produced 23 kills combined across two matches against the Calgary Dinos last weekend (Eduardo Perez photo).
3rd STAR: Alexei Walisser, OH, men's volleyball
Peace River, AB, fourth-year, Commerce
Walisser capped off a solid year for the Griffins with 23 kills in a pair of season-concluding matches against the Calgary Dinos in the David Atkinson Gym.
In Friday's 3-1 loss, Walisser tied for the Griffins' lead in kills with 12, adding five digs and a block.
In Saturday's 3-0 setback, he topped MacEwan with 11 kills, adding an ace, four digs and a block.
For the season, Walisser led the Griffins in kills (169), points (190.0) and service aces (10).
