Box Score
CALGARY, AB – It wasn’t pretty, but they got it done.
The U SPORTS fifth-ranked Saskatchewan Huskies men’s volleyball team fell 3-2 (25-18, 22-25, 25-21, 23-25, 15-10) to the sixth-ranked Mount Royal University Cougars in an error-filled match Friday night at Kenyon Court.
Mount Royal’s attack could not be stopped in the first set. Setter Samson Olsen diversified his setting to several Cougar attackers, finding Luis Lange and Jace Timmer down the middle while also finding Chris Byam on the right side. MRU looked unstoppable in the first and comfortably took a 1-0 set lead. Olsen registered a season-high 50 assists.
Saskatchewan went to the drawing board for the second set and found some answers. Huskies outside hitter Jefferson Morrow found his stride on the attack and racked up the kills for Saskatchewan in the second.
MRU kept the set close but after the Huskies pieced together an impressive run with Morrow serving powerfully, Saskatchewan would take the second set to tie things up at one-a-piece.
The evenly matched teams would tightly battle it out into the third set. MRU looked a little bit out of sync; however, the Huskies were unable to take full advantage. Each side was plagued by service errors, both long and in the net.
The Cougars were able to find their groove and take a 2-1 set lead, capped off by a strong hit by Luis Lange.
Determined to not go down without a fight, the Huskies upped their game once again in the fourth set with the game on the line. Although the Cougars registered 17 kills to Saskatchewan’s 13, service and attacking errors propelled the visiting Huskies to narrowly win the set and send the match to the deciding fifth.
The Huskies and Cougars began the final set going shot for shot, both displaying a higher level of focus. Mount Royal began to pull away, with Canada West’s kill leader Chris Byam taking control and leading MRU to victory. Byam finished with a game-high 18 kills. Isaiah Mamer led the way for Saskatchewan with 16 kills.
The Huskies and Cougars will go head-to-head once again Saturday evening at 7 p.m. from Kenyon Court. Tickets to the rematch can be purchased online and can be streamed live on Canada West TV.