Heat Spoil WolfPack’s Home Opener

KAMLOOPS – Playing in front of their home fans for the first time in over 630 days, the Thompson Rivers WolfPack women’s volleyball team was unable to keep pace with a red hot UBC Okanagan Heat squad in a 3-0 (25-17, 25-15, 25-10) loss.

An experienced Heat side was clinical in attack on the day. The visitors hit .486 per cent as a team compared to the WolfPack’s .065, making just three attacking errors all night.

“I don’t think we ever really got going,” said WolfPack head coach Chad Grimm. “We looked scared from the service line especially and when they are in system as much as they were they are a pretty physical team. You can tell from the hitting numbers that we made it a pretty easy night for them on the offensive side of the ball.”

It was a balanced effort in attack for the ‘Pack. Seray Altay led the way with six kills followed closely by Faith Christensen with four and both Brooklyn Olfert and Erin Mutch who ended the night with three apiece. Playing in all three sets for the first time this season, veterans Anastasiia Muzyka and Katie Ludvig recorded team-highs with 15 assists and nine digs.

Sydney Grills was dominant for UBCO. The product of Vancouver finished on 13 of her 22 attacks in the game en route to hitting a sparkling .545 per cent. Sara McCreary recorded 27 assists on the night with both Madelyn Hettinga and Jade Brussard adding eight kills each.

“We’re not a super physical team, so we have to defend better and serve tougher,” said Grimm on what he is looking to see change for tomorrow’s game. “I think those two things will go hand-in-hand, but it definitely has to be better than it was tonight.”

The rivalry rematch will go tomorrow afternoon at 2:00 p.m. when the ‘Pack once again take on the Heat. Tickets for that contest can be found on gotruwolfpack.ca and the game can be watched live on canadawest.tv.