QUEBEC CITY – For the third time in five years, the Brandon Bobcats men's volleyball team is bringing home a medal from the CIS national championship.
 
After capturing the Canada West league title last weekend, the Bobcats entered the national tournament as the #1 seed. After making quick work of Montreal in the quarter-final the Bobcats battled the host, and eventual tournament champions, Laval Rouge et Or in a thrilling five-set match, that Laval won 3-2 (21-25, 26-24, 24-26, 23-25, 15-13).
 
On Sunday the Bobcats had to battle back from a 2-0 deficit against the Western Mustangs, but the Bobcats did exactly that, winning 3-2 (21-25, 34-36, 25-23, 25-18, 15-12), capturing the bronze.
 
In three trips to the national championship the Bobcats have brought home a medal each time.
 
“After set two, we told our guys we worked too hard this year to let it go now. It was time to empty the gas tank and put everything we had into it and thankfully the boys did,” said Brandon's head coach Grant Wilson.
 
“It was really important to bounce back and win the bronze medal. We came here to win, and losing twice in a row would not have been the way we wanted for sure. Today was our gold medal and thankfully we pulled it out,” added Wilson.

Fourth-year setter Dan Boutwell played one of the best matches of his career, as the “Kenora Killer” finished with 17 kills (.438 hitting percentage), six digs, and an amazing nine blocks, earning Boutwell player of the game honours.
 
Outside hitters and countrymen Roy Ching and Sam Tuivai also finished in double-digit kills with 18 and 17 kills respectively.
 
Tuivai, Garrett Popplestone and Brendan White each had five blocks as awell.
 
As a team, the Bobcats recorded 27 blocks, the highest team total of the season.

The match also brings the careers of two Bobcats to a close.
 
Scott Neufeld finishes his five-year CIS career as one of the most decorated Bobcats to don the blue and gold. The Crocus Plains graduate is the only member of the men's volleyball program to be on all three medal-winning teams.
 
“It's pretty indescribable right now. It maybe isn't the medal we wanted coming in, but I'm very proud of these guys and it's been a great experience.”
 
Neufeld played the entire tournament on a sprained ankle, and as he limped to the dressing room for one last time, he reminisced on his career as a Bobcat.
 
“It's been a great five years for me. Being libero you don't always get a lot of recognition, but as long as the program does well that's what is most important.”
 
Also playing in his final CIS match, fifth-year setter Garrett Popplestone also ended his career in style by scoring the final point, a setter dump that sealed the Bobcats victory.
 
“Getting the last point like that was just the icing on the cake,” says Popplestone. “I'm extremely proud of my team mates, and Grant especially, just so happy with the character we showed and bouncing back like that is just awesome. I'm so proud of them. I love these guys.”