Meaghan Mealey, Savannah Purdy, Ansah Odoom and Avery Heppell all finished with double-digit kills to lead the Spartans in the four set win. Mealey led the Spartans attack with 13 kills, while Purdy tallied a double-double of 12 kills and 13 digs, Odoom finished with 12 kills, five digs and four blocks, while Heppell added 10 kills, and eight blocks.
Rookie Regan Ingram led the Dinos with 13 kills, Kenzie Vaandering hammered home another 10 and teammate Michela Alongi had a game-high 16 digs in the loss.
AS IT HAPPENED
Calgary started the match well and got separation early by taking a three point, 9-6, lead, which they held to the technical timeout, 16-13. TWU cut the lead to one point, 16-15, but Calgary scored the next four points to lead 21-15 late in the set. The Spartans were unable to close the gap as the Dinos took the opening set 25-20. TWU hit at .300 (13-4-30) in the first set, while Calgary hit at .296 (13-5-27).
Trinity Western was a different team in the second set. The Spartans quickly took control and led 11-2 before taking a 16-7 lead into the technical break. Calgary was never able to get into the set as TWU evened the match at 1-1 with a 25-16 win. The Spartans improved to .323 (14-4-31) in the second set, while the Dnos dropped to .121 (10-6-33).
The Spartans carried their momentum into the third set as they led 8-2 early and by nine points, 16-7 at the technical timeout. From their TWU scored nine of the next 12 points to take a 2-1 set lead with a 25-10 win. TWU had their most dominating set of the match in the third set. The Spartans hit at an impressive .615 (17-1-26) while the Dinos hit at .125 (8-5-24).
Calgary had a better start to in the fourth set as they took an early 7-3 lead. But then TWU’s Heppell served 13 straight times as the Spartans took a 16-7 lead into the technical timeout. The Dinos responded out of the break and cut the Spartans lead to four points, 18-14, and force TWU into a timeout. The Dinos Sheridan Coninx continued her dominant serving out of the break and made it a two point, 18-16, set after three straight service aces. Back-to-back kills by TWU’s Savannah Purdy got the Spartans a four point, 20-16, lead as the Dinos called a timeout to slow the Spartans. But the Spartans continued to have a strong block and attack as the finished the match with a 25-21 win to take the match 3-1. TWU hit at .194 (13-6-36) in the final set, while Calgary hit at -.026 (8-9-39).
NOTABLE
TWU is 19-27 lifetime in Canada West conference play against Calgary and 3-14 at Jack Simpson Gym.
The Spartans have now won 20 of their last 23 games with the Dinos.
TWU and Calgary have met twice at the U SPORTS championship, both times at Calgary. In 2006 TWU lost 3-0 in the opening round and in 2007 the Spartans lost 3-0 in the bronze medal match.
Trinity Western hit an impressive .341 for the match and limited the Dinos to hit just .114.
The Spartans had a 19-10 edge in blocks. While the Dinos had an 8-5 edge in service aces.
Mikasa Top Performers Presented by Team Nike: TWU Ansah Odoom, Calgary Stella Rains.
QUOTABLE TWU Head Coach Ryan Hofer On Calgary opening strong and making adjustments to come back.
“These games are full of big moments and this was a big game and they had the home crowd with them. We just needed to settle in. We needed to be patient, they are a good attacking team and they ran some different patterns and we needed to work on connecting and finding our block line ups. And just finding our serve in this gym as well. As the match went on I think we found our serve and had some really key runs that helped put us in a position to play some really good block defence and put them out of system.”
On getting a big lead in the fourth and Calgary coming back.
“When you are at a national championship no game is over until you reach 25 points. They had a couple of really nice servers on the baseline so we were just trying to create time for us to breath and make sure that we were in a good place, so that we can put the ball up and score. There weren’t really adjustments but getting our platform on some good serves.”
TWU outside hitter Ansah Odoom On how they responded after being down a set.
“We didn’t come into this tournament thinking that we were going to win every match 3-0. It took grit and it took us finding our rhythm in this gym. And we knew that if we played with heart and with passion that we do a lot of good things. And I think we did a really good job of digging deep and playing for each other, which is what it’s all about.”
What they will bring into the semi-final
“I think we just need to bring a lot of heart. We have been emphasizing that it takes a lot of heart and a lot of fight to be here. So we need to get some rest tonight and come in to tomorrow knowing that it is really going to be a battle. It’s going to be tough and people are going to be super gritty, so it’s going to be really important to dig and play for one and other. Which is what it is all about, just playing for our teammates.”
UP NEXT
The Spartans will now play in the U SPORTS semi-final against the winner of McGill and Toronto. The match will be played at 8 p.m. MT and can be seen live on CBC.ca/sports. Calgary moves on to the consolation semifinal against the loser of the Martlets and the Blues, scheduled for 3 p.m. Saturday from the Jack Simpson Gym.
About Spartan Athletics
As official members of U SPORTS, the Spartans currently compete in 13 sports in the Canada West conference, including women’s and men’s soccer, volleyball, basketball, hockey, cross country and track & field, as well as women’s rugby sevens. TWU also competes as an independent team in men’s rugby. Since TWU entered U SPORTS in 1999, the Spartans have won 12 U SPORTS team championships and 29 Canada West team championships.
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