Palkovicova powers WolfPack past Dinos

BOX SCORE KAMLOOPS, B.C. – Emma Palkovicova had a double-double to power the Thompson Rivers WolfPack to a 3-0 win over the University of Calgary Dinos women’s volleyball team Friday evening from the Tournament Capital Centre.

The Dinos started to find their rhythm in the third but couldn’t quite complete the comeback to force things to continue in the loss, 18-25, 18-25, 22-25.

Palkovicova led all players with 12 kills and 13 digs for the double-double to go with four aces – also a game high on the night. Hadley Schmidt also had a nice night for the Pack with 21 assists.

Sammi Boag led the Dinos with eight kills on just nine swings, while Evelyn Kath had 18 assists and five digs in the loss.

TRU came out in their home opener on fire, quickly creating separation. Calgary battled back and got within two at 14-12, but the WolfPack hit .306 in the opener and finished things off on a 5-1 run to take the 1-0 lead.

Neither team was able to get much going in set no. 2, with both teams hitting negative for the frame. But, just like in the first, the Dinos got within one at 13-12 only to see Thompson Rivers score seven of the next eight points to take a 20-13 edge and never look back to go ahead 2-0.

Calgary was much more composed in the third. Carolyn Berze had a strong serving run midway through the set and Boag and Alice Nikolaychuk started to find their rhythm on the attack, but the comeback was too little, too late as the WolfPack completed the sweep.

TRU moves to 1-2 on the season with the win, while the Dinos drop to 0-3.

The two teams are right back at it again Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m. MT.

-UC-