Pandas comeback bid falls short in five-set loss in Calgary

CALGARY – The University of Calgary Dinos women’s volleyball team completed the weekend sweep of the No. 4 University of Alberta Pandas, winning 3-2 Saturday night from inside the Jack Simpson Gym. 

Calgary’s second-year outside hitter Sophie Reed was on fire all night, totaling a career high 24 kills in the matchup, including a clutch kill to put her team up 14-12 in the final set. 

The Dinos looked dominant early on jumping out to a quick two-set lead, winning both relatively easily at 25-21 and 25-19. The Dinos opened the game with a clear game plan to attack the middle of the court. Calgary’s plan paid off as they went on to hit .333 as a team in the first set and .412 in the second. As further evidence, Dinos middle Sheridan Coninx registered eight of her 11 kills during the first two sets. Dating back to Friday this would mark the fifth straight set Calgary had taken from their rival Alberta. The Pandas would not go down without a fight, however, something Sophie Reed and the Dinos had been prepared for.

The Pandas showed their fight as they opened the third set with an 8-1 lead. Alberta’s fourth-year outside hitter Lauryn Tremblay led the charge for the Pandas, finishing with six kills in the frame and 21 total on the night. Part of Alberta’s comeback was shutting down Calgary’s middle attack and forcing them to scramble off the serve receive. The Panda’s would survive a late rally from the Dinos as they clawed their way back from a 24-17 deficit, taking the third in extras, 27-25.

Alberta’s concentration on the middle opened the door for Reed to take over. Despite the Dinos dropping the fourth set 25-19, Reed registered eight kills in the frame, routinely powering the ball through the Panda blockade. 

The fifth set – like the game overall – was an exciting back-and-forth matchup. Alberta had Calgary on the ropes after Panda’s outside hitter Emma Holmes served up an ace to make it 12-11. The Panda’s returned the ball from the Dinos and set up an attack of their own. However, a huge dig from second year Michaela Alongi (14 digs), who made a number of clutch plays on the night, saved the ball and the Dinos were able to recover and win the point. The building was energized. The Dinos capitalized on the momentum, after going up 13-12, Reed called game not once but twice as she drove home the final two kills making it 15-13 Dinos.

Following a pair of wins this weekend, the Dinos continue their homestand as they welcome the Thompson Rivers Wolfpack to the Jack Simpson Gym for a pair of games next weekend, starting Friday at 7:45 p.m.  Alberta will look to get back in the win column as they travel back home to face the Fraser Valley Cascades next weekend from inside the Saville Sports Centre.