Short-handed Griffins fall in straight sets to WolfPack

MacEwan Athletics and TRU Athletics

KAMLOOPS, B.C. – Without some of their top players in the lineup, it was always going to be a tall task for the MacEwan Griffins men’s volleyball team on a road trip at Thompson Rivers University.

The WolfPack completed a weekend sweep of the Griffins with a 3-0 win on Saturday (25-16, 25-22, 25-13).

With the result, TRU is now 7-7 and just one game back of the eighth and final playoff spot in Canada West, while MacEwan falls to 0-16.

Aidan McLennan led MacEwan with six kills, while Seth Birkholz had a very solid match at the net with seven blocks to go along with two kills.

TRU was led by reigning U SPORTS Athlete of the Week Matthew Hamilton, who had 10 kills.

A major key in the game for TRU was their performance at the service line where they racked up nine aces and surrendered just two.

The Griffins started the game with an early run thanks to strong serving from Mason Moore as the visitors jumped out to a 6-3 lead. After knotting the game up at 12-12 the ‘Pack went on a massive 7-1 swing keyed by a pair of Sam Flowerday aces to jump out to a 19-13 lead. From there the hosts were able to see out the frame.

The Griffins kept things closer early in the second set before the WolfPack exploded late. It was the visitors who led 17-16 before TRU rallied to take the set. Middles Archie Golding and Corbin Ockerman each registered key kills down the stretch to allow TRU to pull out a 2-0 lead.

The third set was never in doubt. TRU used a 13-4 run in the middle of the frame to jump out to a massive lead before rookie Trey Soondarsingh finished the match with the first kill of his university career.

The Griffins will stay on the road next weekend when they visit Winnipeg.