Cougars settle for weekend split after four-set loss to Calgary

QUICKLY
One night after the University of Regina’s women’s volleyball team opened their home schedule with a four-set win over Calgary, the Dinos returned the favour with a four-set win of their own on Saturday night at the Centre for Kinesiology, Health & Sport.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Calgary led for the majority of the first set until the Cougars mounted a late charge with four straight points as part of a 6-1 run that brought the score level at 19-19. The teams battled through four late lead changes after that, with Calgary and Regina both failing to capitalize on set points before the Dinos clinched the set 27-25 on an attack by Regina that went long.
• The Cougars put together another late run in the second set, collecting seven straight points with Zoey Thompson serving that turned a 21-17 Calgary lead into a 24-21 advantage for the Cougars. Regina couldn’t convert on the first two attempts at set point, but after a Cougar timeout the Dinos served long to give the U of R a 25-23 win.
• An early 8-1 run by Calgary in the third gave the Dinos control of the set and they led the entire way after that stretch. Back-to-back Jordy McEachern kills gave the Cougars some life after getting Regina to within 23-21, but Calgary replied with two consecutive kills by Sophia Hansen and the Dinos took the set 25-21.
• Calgary again jumped out to an early lead in the fourth, going up 12-4 before a 9-2 run for Regina got the Cougars right back into it. Devyn Grimsrud then powered the Cougars to a late 4-0 run that put them up 23-21, but the Dinos then reeled off four straight points of their own that gave them a 25-23 win and the match.

NOTES

• Grimsrud led the Cougars in kills for the second consecutive night, putting down 14 while hitting .205 for the match.
• Cassadi Klapak had 28 assists, 15 digs, and 4 kills for the Cougars.
• Regina’s Piper Harkness led all players with seven blocks.
• Daisy Olsen had a match-high 16 kills for Calgary.
• The Cougars (2-4) are tied with Manitoba for eighth place in the Canada West standings through the first three weekends of the conference schedule.

NEXT UP
Regina will continue Canada West play next weekend on the road against Winnipeg (1-3). The Cougars and the Wesmen meet at 6:00 PM on both Friday night and Saturday night.