Jason Hills
For MacEwan Athletics
EDMONTON – Mariah Bereziuk knows what it feels like to take part in playoff volleyball for the MacEwan Griffins, and she wants nothing more than to help bring that feeling back this season.
In her final season in maroon and white, the product of Grasslands, Alta. and graduate of Boyle High School is having an outstanding final season as the Griffins aim to make the playoffs for the first time since 2019-20 when Bereziuk was a rookie.
"I can remember just how badly our group wanted to make the playoffs so bad that year, and I can really see it with our team this year," said Bereziuk.
"Our group is hungry. That's been our goal all season long, and we want to prove every week that we are a team that can, not just make playoffs, but go on a run."
The Griffins (11-7) will host their cross-town rival, Alberta Pandas (14-4) on Friday (7:30 p.m.) and Saturday (4:30 p.m., David Atkinson Gym, Canada West TV).
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Both teams sit sixth and fifth, respectively, in the ultra-competitive Canada West conference. MacEwan is coming off a weekend sweep of the Winnipeg Wesmen last weekend and are looking to finish the regular season strong.
"I think we can really compete with them. They're a young team that is really, talented, but because they're young, it gives us an opportunity to come at them with some force and aggression," said Bereziuk.
MacEwan has certainly had plenty of contributions from different sources this year that have helped regain stability and a winning culture into the program.
Setter Payton Shimoda is second in the conference in assists and third in assists per set. Libero Bronwyn Ettinger is in the top 10 in digs.
Middle Sarah McGee has provided a strong presence inside for the Griffins, and players like Alyshia Bryks, Kara Frith and Arden Butler have taken big steps forward in their development.
But one constant throughout the Griffins program over the last few years has been the steady and impactful presence that Bereziuk has given MacEwan throughout her career.
Last year, she finished the season with 278 kills and 169 digs, while this year she's on pace to surpass those marks with ease as she sits fourth in Canada West with 234 kills and second in kills per set with 3.90.
She's already surpassed her career-high in service aces with 23 this season, which leads the team.
Graduating senior Mariah Bereziuk has a chance to book-end her career with playoff berths as she was a rookie on the last Griffins team to make the Canada West post-season in 2019-20 (Eduardo Perez photo).
Bereziuk has been a model of consistency as the go-to attacker for the Griffins. She's reached double-digits in kills in all but two games this year, and in those two, she still recorded nine and eight kills.
"We all have those things we want to accomplish for ourselves. I've always tried to put the team first and do whatever I can for the team, but I certainly set out to achieve some accomplishments for myself," said Bereziuk.
"We've had a lot of girls step up this year, and I know I can't get there myself. Me being where I am is because of others around me that have helped us get to where we want as a team."
After three-straight years of rebuilding for the Griffins, everything seems to be coming together for MacEwan under new head coach Chris Wandler.
They started the season 9-3 entering the Christmas break, and then dropped four straight matches, but have rebounded nicely.
MacEwan goes into every game knowing they have a chance to win, which is a positive development for the program which went through some growing pains the past couple seasons.
Their core group of players, led by Bereziuk, are building a nice winning culture within the program now.
"It's a nice feeling knowing we can go into every game with a feeling that we can win. We wanted it (to make the playoffs) so bad the last few years, but we had to go through some tough losses and learn a lot. A lot of the puzzle pieces are coming together now," said Bereziuk.
"Chris changed our entire offence and our defence changed. Fundamentally, we were all moving in the right direction, and he's put the right pieces together to help us reach this point.
"It's so surreal after everything we've been through as a program that we're in a position now where we can make the playoffs.
"The last few years we've worked hard at building that culture, and now we're turning it into a winning culture, and we need to pass it down to other girls within the program, that's so important."
