KAMLOOPS – The Thompson Rivers WolfPack women’s volleyball team battled their way through a back-and-forth game with the Saskatchewan Huskies, coming out on top by a score of 3-2 (28-26, 25-21, 23-25, 18-25, 16-14) inside the TCC.
First-year Ema Palkovicova stole the show for the WolfPack. The product of Bratislava, SK dominated offensively with a total of 27 kills and four aces, finishing the night with an astounding 0.490 attack percentage.
“I don’t know where she got that energy and mentality from; she was determined from the beginning to end and she’s only a first year. She just kept going all game,” said WolfPack head coach Behlul Yavasgel. “Without her power, we would’ve really struggled without her.”
Alongside Palkovicova, TRU was led by veterans Abby Spratt – who had 45 assists, two serving aces – and Erin Mutch who contributed 18 kills and a pair of aces.
The Huskies showed their relentless mentality, never going away and continuing to fight all game long. Saskatchewan was led by Olivia Mattern. The fourth year Saskatoon native finished the night with 16 kills and two service aces. Setter Averie Allard had 48 assists along with 3 kills and 1 ace.
The visitors came out of the gates the stronger of the two teams. They earned multiple six-point leads in the frame thanks to four kills from Mandi Fraser and three apiece from Caet McCorkell and Mattern. But the WolfPack wouldn’t go away, slowly clawing away at the Huskies lead. Mutch led the way with seven kills in the set and a strong serving streak from Brooklyn Olfert, including two aces, tied the game at 24-24. From there a big kill from Palkovicova put the first set to an end.
The WolfPack started the second set off flying and didn’t look back. Palkovicova came to life in this set, tallying eight kills and adding another ace. With the WolfPack up 20-12, Saskatchewan went on a 10-1 run to tie the game up 21-21. But another serving streak would prove crucial for the WolfPack, this time from Hayley McNaught as TRU pulled out 25-21 victory.
Saskatchewan was able to draw on the momentum they built in the second set and come out surging. The WolfPack managed to keep the score close but thanks to some strong play from Mattern, who finished the set with six kills, the Huskies took the third set 25-23.
The fourth set saw a back-and-forth affair with the teams exchanging points up to 12 but that’s when the Huskies were able to find separation working up a lead of 20-13. The WolfPack would work their way back, but the Huskies took the set 25-18.
The fifth set started out neck-in-neck with the game tied 4-4. The WolfPack would find the lead thanks to Olfert who took the set by the reigns and contributed three kills in a row to put the WolfPack up 9-6. Caitlin Larrigan put the finishing touches on the victory with a service ace to give TRU the final set by a score of 16-14.
TRU moves to 5-4 on the season with the victory and will battle the Huskies again tomorrow afternoon at 3:00 p.m. inside the TCC. Saskatchewan will come out gunning for the weekend split after they fell to 4-5 with the loss.