KAMLOOPS, B.C. – The visiting Calgary Dinos got up early and rode that lead to victory in a 3-1 (25-22, 25-14, 23-25, 20-25) game over the Thompson Rivers men’s volleyball team in Kamloops.
Hitting efficiency was key for Calgary in the game as the visitors compiled a mark of .518, compared to the WolfPack’s .230.
Calgary’s Erik Godwin led both teams with 15 kills on just 28 swings. Jackson Meier had an incredibly efficient night through the middle, hitting .923 with 12 kills on 13 swings. Ethan Czepuryk recorded five kills, three blocks and three service aces, while Zack Durrant recorded 35 assists.
Sam Flowerday and Rylan Ibbetson each had 13 kills for the ‘Pack, while Corbin Ockerman racked up four service aces and Sam Elgert 33 assists.
The Dinos were able to pull out a tight first set. With the score 22-21 in favour of the Dinos, Tyler Funk scored a pair of important kills to take the set 25-22. Meier and Ibbetson each had four kills to lead their respective teams.
Set number two was all Calgary, the visitors hit .632 as a team and Godwin racked up six kills as the Dinos rolled to the 11-point victory.
TRU played their best volleyball of the night in the third. With the set tied at 21-21. a 3-0 WolfPack run keyed by one kill from Matthew Hamilton and a couple from Ibbetson gave TRU the breathing room they needed to take the 25-23 victory.
Any hopes of a WolfPack comeback were ended late in the fourth. A Flowerday ace brought the ‘Pack close at 16-15 in favour of Calgary before a 6-2 Dinos run – powered by a block courtesy of Godwin and Czepuryk – gave the Dinos a 22-17 edge en route to the victory.
TRU (2-3) will hit the road next weekend when they travel to Saskatoon for a pair of games with the Saskatchewan Huskies. Calgary (3-1) will have a bye week.