Players Bench Athletes of the Week: November 4-10

Players Bench Female Athlete of the Week: Sydney Scatcherd

The only travelling Cougars team that ended the weekend without a loss was the women’s volleyball team. Going north on Crowchild Trail to face the University of Calgary, MRU obtained two consecutive 3-1 wins against the DInos in Jack Simpson Gymnasium. Their victories came in no small part thanks to the relentless attacking and dynamic defense of Sydney Scatcherd, who finished the weekend with 28 kills on 54 attacks, along with two assists, four aces, and 21 blocks.

Playing in all eight sets of the Cougars two 3-1 match victories, Scatcherd found multiple ways to contribute when her team needed her most. On Friday, that meant being an offensive assassin, killing on 12 of her 25 attack attempts. On Saturday, though, the team needed a multi-faceted contribution and Scatcherd obliged, posting a team-high 16 kills to go with her team-best 13 digs. 

As a result of her and the rest of the Cougars’ valiant performances, MRU now holds a 4-2 record, tied for fourth-best in the conference. The women’s volleyball squad will look to extend their winning streak to five games on Nov. 22 as they host the only undefeated team in Canada West, the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds, on Kenyon Court and live Canada West TV at 8 p.m.

Players Bench Male Athlete of the Week: Keivonte Watts

The only lossless Cougars team at home on the Remembrance Day long weekend was the men’s basketball squad, who earned two fourth-quarter-comeback victories against the Trinity Western University Spartans to improve to 4-0 on the season. Their miraculous efforts were spearheaded by the flashy shoes and even flashier moves of Keivonte Watts. 

Playing 68 minutes in two games, Watts posted an electrifying 36 points, 12 assists, seven rebounds, and two blocks on 11/25 shooting from the field, including 7/15 from three-point range and 7/10 from the free-throw line. However, Watts’ most notable statistical performances came in the fourth quarter of both games; with his team down in both matches and their backs against the wall, Watts willed his Cougars back into winning positions with perfect playmaking and sensational scoring.

After scoring only one point in the first half on Friday night, Watts racked up 19 points in the second half, including nine in the fourth quarter. With the Cougars down 72-65 and less than five minutes on the clock, Watts hit back-to-back three-point baskets and catalyzed an 11-0 game-closing run, helping MRU secure a 76-72 victory. 

Watts followed that up by going scoreless in the first half on Saturday night, only to score all 16 of his points in the second half, including 10 in a mind-boggling fourth quarter comeback. Down by nine, Watts opened up the fourth quarter with a pull-up three-pointer and didn’t miss for the entire period, going 3/3 from the field, including 2/2 from downtown, and scoring nine points in just eight minutes. Behind his brilliant shooting, the Cougars took home a nail-biting 86-83 victory and defended Kenyon Court with dominance, remaining undefeated with a 4-0 record.

The Cougars men’s basketball team will look to extend their winning streak to five consecutive games on Friday, Nov. 15 as they host the University of Winnipeg Wesmen on Kenyon Court and live on Canada West TV at 8 p.m.