KAMLOOPS – Despite taking a set off the top ranked team in the country, the Thompson Rivers WolfPack men’s volleyball team fell to the University of Alberta Golden Bears 3-1 (25-19, 23-25, 25-10, 25-16).
Sam Flowerday was the focal point of the WolfPack’s offense, finishing the afternoon with 17 kills and one ace. Rylan Ibbetson pitched in with six kills and two aces while rookie Brendon Lord had four kills in the first start of his Canada West career.
Jordan Canham led the Gold Bears with 13 kills to go along with two aces, hitting over .520 per cent. Jacob Sargent finished the match with 10 kills and two aces while Isaac Heslinga had nine kills to go with four huge aces. The Golden Bears were dangerous from the service line, racking up 12 team aces.
The WolfPack took a few points to settle into the match as the Golden Bears scored the first three points of the set. After trading points, the ‘Pack scored four points in a row on the back of two kills and an ace from Flowerday to tie the set up at 6-6. Alberta continued to push, finding their offence through Canham, who had five kills in the set. The ‘Pack managed to keep the score close, chipping away at the Golden Bear’s lead through the offensive play of Flowerday who finished the set with seven kills and one ace, but the Bears took the set 25-19.
The second set was a tight affair and the WolfPack went toe-to-toe with the top ranked team in the country. Trading points back-and-forth, no team had a lead of more than two points. Down 23-22, the WolfPack put down two points in a row, finding themselves at set point. Thanks to a Rylan Ibbetson ace, the ‘Pack would take the set 25-23.
Alberta used their second set loss as fuel in the third set. They got out to a seven-point lead and didn’t look back. The ‘Pack tried to close the gap, but the Bears were just too powerful finishing the set on a seven-point run to take the set 25-10.
The Golden Bears continued their momentum into the next set. Jumping out to a 3-0 lead, they didn’t ease off the pressure. Alberta went on a 9-1 point run to find themselves up 18-9. The ‘Pack chipped away at the lead, but the Golden Bears were just too efficient, hitting over .700 percent as a team in the final set en route to the 25-16 victory.
The WolfPack head to Edmonton next weekend to face off against the MacEwan Griffins, while the Golden Bears return home where they will play the Mount Royal Cougars in a matchup between two teams ranked in the U SPORTS Top 10.
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