Cougars upset Pandas, hand Alberta first loss of season

EDMONTON – Quinn Pelland and the Mount Royal Cougars handed the Alberta Pandas their first loss of the season on Saturday evening at the Saville Centre, winning in five thrilling sets (25-27, 25-21, 27-25, 13-25, 15-10).

The Pandas fall to 11-1, still sitting atop the Canada West, while the Cougars move to 9-3 on the year.

Fourth-year setter Pelland was outstanding as the conductor of the Mount Royal offence, contributing a season-high 59 assists. That mark is two off of making the top ten of assists all-time in a Canada West game. She added two kills, two blocks, and 11 digs in one of the more impressive showings to date in this CW campaign.

The Pandas were led by fifth-year standout Kory White, who added a game-high 22 kills to the losing effort.

It was a thriller from start to finish, with both teams playing some elite volleyball. The Cougars rectified their mistakes from last night’s loss, with a clinical attack that included four players getting into double digit kills.

The Cougars came out firing in the first set, out attacking the Pandas 17 to 11. However, as was the story in the previous game last night, they were unable to rectify attack and service errors as the Pandas took a inch-close set that required extra, 27-25. 

Fourth-year outside hitter Haley Roe, team leader in kills per set, had a set-high seven kills. The Cougars had six service errors.

The Pandas were led by Julia Zonneveld, with five kills and five digs.

Mount Royal controlled the second set, with Nyadholi Thokbuom getting two straight service aces early. The Cougars attack was efficient and precise, avoiding the Alberta net presence that had thwarted them previously. The Pandas did mount a late comeback, but it was for naught as they lost the set 25-21. Fourth-year Madison Marshall had four kills for the Cougs.

The third set was just as competitive as the first. When a key Alberta cog, fourth-year Zonneveld, went out with what appeared to be a hand injury, Lauren Tremblay subbed on and made an immediate impact for the Pandas, getting four kills in this set.

However, the Cougars attacked proved again too much to handle for the Pandas, out-attacking them by 10 attempts. Thokbuom had a set-high five kills, and her teammate Roe added four of her own.

Pelland continued to be a orchestrator, entering the fourth set with an astounding 47 assists.

The Pandas found another gear in the fourth set, heading into the media timeout up 16-8. The Cougars attack that had won them the previous two sets was not there in the fourth, sporting a .100 hitting percentage. The set ended 25-13, a vast contrast to the game to this point.

The Pandas .440 hitting percentage was indicative of some changes after the third. Tremblay and White had three kills apiece for the Pandas.

The game chugged along to a fifth set, the first time the U SPORTS #1 ranked Pandas have gone to one this season.

The Pandas struggled to reign in mistakes to start the decisive set, leading to an early 7-3 lead, one they would never relinquish. The Mount Royal attack was too ferocious, and at times the Pandas made some errors that sunk their chances.

Fifth-year Vanessa Jarman, the all-time Pandas leader in total blocks, made more Alberta history, moving into 9th place in career sets played highlighting the impressive longevity of her career thus far. 

The Pandas will look to get back on track with a date with the MacEwan Griffins on February 11th, while the Cougars look to keep momentum against a crosstown rival in the Calgary Dinos starting February 10th.