The CIS No. 1 ranked UBC Okanagan Heat pull into first place after their three set win in Edmonton over MacEwan University in Edmonton on Friday night (25-18, 25-23, 25-20). Play again Saturday at 4 p.m. (PST).
Women’s Volleyball (Canada West conference match)
Friday, February 12th, 2016
University City Centre Campus Gymnasium, Edmonton, AB
SET SCORES 1 2 3 TEAM RECORDS UBC Okanagan........ (3) 25 25 25 19-2 MacEwan............. (0) 18 23 20 7-14
EDMONTON, AB – The UBC Okanagan Heat women’s volleyball team captured a big three set win in Edmonton on Friday night as they took down the host MacEwan University Griffins for their 19th win on the season.
The win, the Heat’s 12th in straight sets this year, put them alone in first place in Canada West with just three matches left to play. Going into the match UBCO was deadlocked with Trinity Western for top spot but the Thompson Rivers WolfPack upset the Spartans in four sets in Kamloops on Friday night.
The MacEwan University Griffins women’s volleyball team fell to 7-14 with the loss at the MacEwan University City Centre Campus Gymnasium.
The series between these two teams will finish up on Saturday at 4 p.m. (PST) and will be the final road game for the Heat of the conference schedule.
Head coach of UBC Okanagan, Steve Manuel, did not take the matchup with the Griffin’s lightly and admitted that the Griffins gave them all they could handle and that MacEwan was a “Well coached team,” that “Played hard.”
Said Griffins third-year outside hitter Kate Rozendaal, “They had some really good swings that we gave up, . . . Tonight our communication was better, we have been working on that a lot, as well as working to reduce our unforced errors,” noted Rozendaal. “We are a team that can compete and play better when we are playing against the best.”
All three sets were marked with long rallies and tough serves as the Griffins and Heat battled to ties throughout each set, until reaching the 20-point mark. The young MacEwan University squad was able to battle the veteran UBC Okanagan team, but were challenged by their consistency on the court.
The Heat’s fifth-year outside hitter Brianna Beamish led the way for UBC Okanagan with 12.5 points that included 11 kills, two assists, one ace, 8 digs, and one block. Fifth-year middle hitter Katy Klomps also had a strong night with 10.5 points (seven kills, one assist, one ace, two digs, five blocks) while fourth-year outside hitter, and reigning Canada West Third Star of the Week, Megan Festival contributed 10 points (eight kills, two aces, 10 digs).
Kate Rozendaal led the way for MacEwan University, and was named ‘Player of the Match’. The third-year Science major had 12 kills, two aces, and 10 digs for 14 points. Griffins third-year outside hitter Cassidy Kinsella continues to be a consistent and driving force for her team with 12 kills, and one block (12.5 points), while third-year middle hitter Jasey Hook contributed 7.5 points off 6 kills, one assist, one ace, and one block.
HEAT NOTES: Megan Festival with her 2 services aces in tonight’s match now has 115 in her four years….teammate Emily Oxland has 123 in her four years. These two are 2-3 in the all-time list at UBC Okanagan….Tammy Thomas (2003-07) is top at the institution with 143…..Canada West records only go up to 2013/14 but the leader at that point was Jaki Ellis from Alberta (2007-11) with 133.
~ With notes from // Junelle Mah, Griffins Athletics