KAMLOOPS – Picking up a pair of set wins the Thompson Rivers WolfPack men’s volleyball team took the UBC Okanagan Heat to five sets but were unable to come up with the victory in a 3-2 (25-21, 20-25, 20-25, 25-22, 15-7) loss.
Despite the loss there were bright spots aplenty for a 1-7 WolfPack team that traded blows with the 6-4 Heat. TRU hit .313 per cent as a team and racked up 59 kills to the Heat’s 51 on the night.
“Overall, the guys played great but credit to UBCO they made some plays down the stretch in the fourth and fifth sets,” said WolfPack head coach Pat Hennelly.
Sam Flowerday led the WolfPack with 14 kills on his 23 swings. For the second night in a row a member of the ‘Pack put up a triple-double with Anton Napolitano recording 11 kills, 32 assists, 10 digs and topped it off with four block assists. In the first start of his WolfPack career Maxim Turgeon had eight kills on his 11 swings with Michael Svab also hitting over .500 at 8-12.
Maxwell Heppell and Noah Carlson were again the story for UBCO, finishing with 16 and 14 kills respectively.
A Heppell ace to make things 16-12 in favour of the Heat in the first set gave the hosts a lead that they wouldn’t surrender the rest of the way en route to the 25-21 victory.
TRU hit .375 per cent as a team in the second set to respond. Tied at 16 at the technical timeout, the WolfPack ended the set on a 9-4 run with Samuel Elgert recording a pair of kills.
Much like the second the WolfPack outhit the Heat .391-.111 in the third to take a 2-1 set lead. Thundersky Walkingbear had the final kill of the set as the WolfPack took it 25-20.
After the Heat took a close fourth set, the fifth and final frame was all UBCO. The WolfPack offence that had been so efficient on the night went cold as UBCO ran away with the 15-7 victory.
Next up for the WolfPack is a trip to Abbotsford where they will face the Fraser Valley Cascades three days in a row on February 4, 5 and 6.
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