UBC Okanagan drop a straight set match to the host Griffins (25-19, 25-23, 25-16). Heat men’s volleyball play final road match tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. (PST). versus MacEwan University.
Men’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........ (0) 19 23 16 3-18 MacEwan............. (3) 25 25 25 3-18
EDMONTON, AB – The MacEwan University Griffins men’s volleyball team earned their first home sweep, 3-0, over the UBC Okanagan Heat in the MacEwan University City Centre Campus Gymnasium on Friday night. The Griffins 2015/16 Canada West record improves now to 3-18, while the Heat’s record now sits at 3-18 as well. The Griffins and Heat return to the court tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. PST for a second night of Canada West competition.
As part of GrifFAN Appreciation Weekend, all Canada West fans will have FREE admission to Saturday’s women’s and men’s games.
The Heat were led by third-year outside hitter Lars Bornemann. The Applied Science major scored 15 points, which included 13 kills, two aces, and six digs. Fifth-year right-side hitter Kyle Pankratz contributed 12.5 points (12 kills, two digs, and one block), while fourth-year middle hitter Leo Schober contributed 6.5 points (five kills, one ace, and one assist).
Steady and consistent rallies saw the Heat and Griffins match in points in the first set until MacEwan pulled away with the lead after the technical time-out at the 16-point mark. Kyle Pankratz, one of three members of UBC Okanagan playing in their final matches finished with four kills in the first set. Jeremy Fostvelt, a fifth year libero and Leo Schober a fourth year middle will also be graduating this June.
A competitive second set saw both teams battle neck-and-neck, the Heat made it to the technical timeout first in the second on an service error form GMU. An attack error by the Heat followed by a kill from Griffins first-year middle hitter Max Vriend gave MacEwan the go-ahead two points to take a 2-0 lead in sets.
Early in the third set, back-to-back aces from Griffins captain and setter Matthew Mohler followed by successful kills from Kerrison and fourth-year outside hitter Ryan McDonald helped push the Griffins further ahead to give them their first home sweep in the program’s two-year Canada West history, as well as their second home victory in as many weeks.
For the third game in a row, third-year Griffins outside hitter Shane Kerrison was named ‘Player of the Game’. The Open Studies major led MacEwan with 16.5 points, which included 15 kills, one dig, and two blocked shots. McDonald continued to be a strong and consistent force as the Commerce major put up 11 points of his own (10 kills, one ace, three digs). Second-year middle hitter Cristian Sides contributed 7 points from five kills, one dig, and three blocks.
For the match the Heat finished with four blocks compared to six by MacEwan. MacEwan hit a season best .369. UBC Okanagan hit .209 for the match just better then their season average of .202.
~ With notes from // Junelle Mah, Griffins Athletics