Cougars Catchup: January 21, 2022

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 | Box Score 3 | Box Score 4

Home Games: 

WVB: GMU (0) at MRU (3)

The Mount Royal University women’s volleyball team demonstrated they are truly a force to be reckoned with this year after sweeping Grant MacEwan University 3-0 (25-11, 25-15, 25-8) in tonight’s matchup.

MRU made a massive 14 aces tonight, with a 50 per cent attack average for 38 kills.

Madison Marshall had a stand out performance tonight with 10 kills and three service aces. Alongside Marshall was Haley Roe, who put up eight kills for the women tonight.

The team had 10 players hit the court tonight, with Nyadholi Thokbum seeing her first play time of the season. Thokbum had an impressive debut, making four kills and five service aces.

“We felt a little unstoppable out there,” said tonight’s player of the game, Sarah McKillican. “Everyone was just doing their job. It was great.”

Tonight was McKillican’s first game playing as a setter. The third year may have found her new spot after making 17 assists, five digs, one kill and one service ace.

Shane Smith is making his mark as a coach in his first season as the Cougars. It seems as though this team has found a rhythm that should be feared by their competitors for the remainder of the season.

All three sets saw impressive offensive play, with MRU only giving up a total of 34 points to the Griffins.

Tomorrow the two teams will rematch in Kenyon Court, with the Cougars’ women hoping to complete a second sweep, while the Griffins hope for redemption.

Catch the game live at MRU for a 7 p.m. tip off or live on Canada West TV presented by Co-op.

Player of the Game: Sarah McKillican

MVB: GMU (1) at MRU (3)

After six weeks without volleyball, the Mount Royal University men were able to take their first win of 2022, 3-1 (25-16, 27-29, 25-23, 26-24) over the Grant MacEwan University Griffins.

Kenyon Court saw an unconventional start to the match, with the Cougars singing out the lyrics to “O Canada” after a technical malfunction prevented the song from being played.

The game was nothing short of exciting, with two of the four sets played going to extra points.

MRU had a dominant first set, at one point leading 17-9 and finishing the set 25-16.

Jacob Van Geel, a third-year hitter with the team, put on an impressive performance tonight. He led the Cougars in kills, making 17 with only two errors and hitting 47 per cent.

Van Geel was the consistency needed for the men to take the victory tonight.

The second set was won by GMU who put on an aggressive offence and pushed the set into extra points. The Griffins, led by Alexei Walisser and Jefferson Morrow on the court, took the set 29-27. Both the second and third sets were a back and forth battle between teams, changing leader constantly and never getting further than two, aside from extra points.

It was the third set that seemingly decided the match. The Cougars brought Jackson Brennan off the bench and found a rhythm. The fifth year setter had near perfect placement, allowing Chris Byam to repeatedly connect and putt down 16 kills.

Brennan was the momentum shift needed, finishing the game with 20 assists, one service ace and three digs in just a set and a half of play. This earned him player of the game.

MRU improved from 24 per cent to 47 per cent on attack between the third and fourth set, securing the win.

Both teams were eager to prove themselves, after splitting the weekend in their previous match up. Tomorrow will decide if the weekend is a sweep in favour of the Cougars or if the Griffins will come back and force a split.

Come out to Kenyon Court tomorrow night to catch the 5 p.m. start, or tune in lice on Canada West TV presented by Co-op.

Player of the game: Jackson Brennan