Dinos drop five-setter in Saskatoon

SASKATOON, SK – The University of Calgary Dinos women’s volleyball team were unable to close out the fifth set and fell 3-2 to the Saskatchewan Huskies (25-23, 28-30, 24-26, 25-21, 13-15) on Friday night at the PAC in Saskatoon.

The win puts Saskatchewan one step closer to a spot in the Canada West Playoffs at 10-11. Calgary holds down the seventh seed in the conference with a record of 11-10.

The first set saw both teams go back and forth before the Huskies took a 13-8 lead. The Dinos were unwilling to go away getting within one at 17-16 before a Huskies timeout. Saskatchewan got quick two points out of the timeout but was unable to continue their momentum as the Dinos scored seven out of eight points to go up 23-21. Saskatchewan fought back to get within one at 24-23 but was unable to close out the set, losing the first set 25-23.

The second set saw the Huskies come out strong with an early 9-3 lead. Calgary would mount a comeback and tie things up at 12-12 before a Huskies timeout. The timeout wouldn’t slow down the Dinos as they kept pushing to take the 17-15 lead. At 21-17, the Huskies would call a timeout and storm back to tie the game at 23-23. The set would go back and forth between the two teams before the Huskies had three straight points to end the set with a 30-28 win. 

The Huskies come out flying in the third set, going up 13-9. Calgary wouldn’t break, staying in it and coming back to tie it at 19-19. Saskatchewan would again respond and battle their way to a 26-24 win thanks to back-to-back kills from Devyn Ethier. 

Calgary had a better start in the fourth set, and it would be neck and neck tied up 14-14. With Evelyn Kath at the line, Calgary rattled off four straight points. Huskies bench boss Mark Dodds would call a Huskies timeout, but Calgary was determined to send it to a fifth set, taking the 25-21 win.

Saskatchewan went up to an early 4-2 lead early but the Dinos pushed hard to come back and take an 11-5 lead. The Huskies were not going to let this one slip away tying things up at 12-12 before rallying off three straight points to take the set 15-13 and the fifth set win. 

Sophie Reed had 21 kills to lead the Dinos, with Daisy Olsen adding 15 kills, while Mya Sheridan had 10. Stella Rains had 40 assists on the evening. 

Julia Sprentz had an incredible night against her former team with 17 kills. Olivia Mattern had 12 kills and Mandi Fraser added 10. Averie Allard had 48 assists for a game-high. 

The Dinos and Huskies face off again on Saturday with a 2 p.m. MT start at the PAC.