WINNIPEG – Isaiah Olfert tallied a game-high 14 kills and hit .385 to lead Winnipeg to a 3-0 win over the Calgary Dinos men’s volleyball team Friday afternoon from the Duckworth Centre.
The Wesmen hit .326 as a team and held the young Dinos squad to hit just .073 in the win. It gives Winnipeg a perfect 3-0 start to the season, while Calgary falls to 1-2.
Ben Traa dished out 32 assists for the Wesmen, while Luke Lodewyks finished just shy of a double-double with nine kills and eight digs.
Louis Kunstmann had a team-high eight kills for Calgary and rookie Emil Olsen tied for the game high with 12 digs in just his third collegiate match.
After a convincing win in the opening frame by Winnipeg, the Dinos did well to fight back in the second. The Wesmen jumped out to an early 6-1 lead after a kill by Traa, only to see Calgary claw back to within two late at 20-18 after a block by Kunstmann and Luke Nodwell. But Winnipeg was able to close it out and take the 2-0 lead.
Things were back and forth the whole way in the third. After an even first 24 points, it was the Dinos that were the first to create separation. Kills from Tyler Funk and Nodwell made things 15-12 before three straight service aces from Jackson Meier gave the Scarlet & Gold their largest lead of the day. But the Wesmen showed why they were picked third in this year’s preseason coaches’ poll, rattling off eight in a row for a 20-18 before squeaking out the win for the sweep.
The two teams are right back at it Saturday at 5 p.m. MT.