KAMLOOPS – In a five-set bout that saw four sets decided by two points, the Thompson Rivers WolfPack men’s volleyball team took down the Calgary Dinos by a score of 3-2 (12-25, 26-24, 23-25, 25-23, 18-16) WolfPack on Friday night at the Jack Simpson Gym.
“Excellent win on the road with some up-and-down play,” said WolfPack head coach Pat Hennelly. “Overall, not our cleanest volleyball but a really gritty team effort on the road”
TRU moves to 6-5 on the season with the victory while the Dinos fall to 3-8. In a crowded Canada West playoff race, the win was an important one for a ‘Pack side that moves into a tie for sixth with the Winnipeg Wesmen.
Sam Flowerday, Corbin Ockerman and Rylan Ibbetson all hit double-digit kills for ‘Pack, finishing the night with 18, 13 and 12 respectively. Ockerman in particular shone with two blocks and an ace to go along with his 13 kills.
“Corbin Ockerman was the man tonight to really lead the team,” said Hennelly. “We had to move guys in and out of the lineup, Michael Svab and Rylan Ibbetson came off the bench and really performed.”
The Dinos took a convincing 25-12 victory in the first set before the ‘Pack were able the find their footing in the match.
Trailing 22-18 and coming out of a timeout, Thompson Rivers drew up a nice play for Ibbetson. The second-year outside hitter, who played a key role in the TRU victory powered it home down the left side shrinking the lead to just three, From there the WolfPack were able to regain momentum and after the teams traded points and kill from Ockerman and an ace from Ibbetson gave the WolfPack the set victory.
The third and fourth sets followed a similar narrative as both were back-and-forth battles, with neither team able to stretch away from the other.
Leading by just one point late in the third, fifth-year Dino Liam Kuppe rose above the TRU block to drive home the dagger, making it 24-22. The Dinos would go on to win the set shortly later.
Ockerman stepped up big time for his team in the fourth, registering the final two kills to break a 23-23 tie and send the ‘Pack to victory.
The fifth and final set was representative of the match as a whole as both teams left everything they had out on the court. TRU jumped out to an early 10-6 lead and while Calgary rallied to tie the match late back-to-back kills from Ockerman and Flowerday put the game away at 18-16.
Calgary and Thompson Rivers take the floor at 6:45 p.m. at the Jack Simpson Gym on Saturday.
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