Bobcats season comes to a close with loss to Spartans

It was a challenge from first serve, playing the No. 1 ranked team in the country and in a hostile environment as the Spartan faithful are often loud and certainly were Saturday at the Langley Events Centre.

The Bobcats were just as loud early as Jamie Bain started the match with an ace, sending the Bobcat bench into a roar.

It was a great start, taking a 15-10 lead before the Spartans went on an eight point run to take the lead. Bobcats head coach Lee Carter called a timeout to end the run, but the Spartans wouldn’t were able to keep the pressure on, ending the set on a 15-2 run.

The Spartans carried that momentum into the second set as Savannah Purdy made five tough serves to start the frame, forcing Carter to call a timeout. The early gap proved to be enough as the Spartans took it.

After trailing 9-5 in the third, a crazy rally ended by Bain with a dump turned the tide for the Bobcats. The Bobcats managed four straight points late in the set to narrow the gap, but the Spartans hung on for the win.

The Bobcats were led on offence by Rayvn Wiebe and Nicole Ashauer who contributed seven kills each.

Bain finished with three aces and 14 assists while Ashauer also led the team in digs (11).

The Spartans were led by Meaghan Mealey’s match-high 11 kills as the team moves to 3-0 in the first round pool play and moves on to the next round next weekend.

The loss drops the Bobcats record to 1-2 in the opening round of the playoffs and concludes the season.