WVB: Cougars secure semi-final spot

WVB: Cougars secure semi-final spot

2/25/2023 7:32:27 PM

Ellery Platts

CALGARY – The Mount Royal University women’s volleyball team has punched their ticket to semi-finals after an electric four set victory of the University of Calgary Dinos; 21-25, 25-22, 25-17, 25-13.

 This comes after winning the first game of the series in a clean three sets Friday night. 

“I’m just super proud of my team, we showed up today,” said MRU head coach Shane Smith. “I think this was a really tough team, they pressured us and we hung in there.”

It was a very different energy coming from the Calgary side to start this afternoon’s match, the squad approaching the game with a higher level of intensity than what was demonstrated the night before. 

Daisy Olsen made a huge kill off the very first attack to start the night for the Dinos. The Cougars quickly returned the favour with a left side attack from Haley Roe. 

MRU had clean coverage, always finding a good position to defend against Calgary powerhouse hitters Sophie Reed, Alice Nikolaychuk and Olsen. 

They exchanged points one by one for the majority of first set play, both teams struggling at points with clear communication. Nikolaychuk put the Dinos into a winning stance, with a quick two kills. The Cougars saving grace was two net serves coming from Calgary. 

A late set spree sent Calgary to their first win of the weekend, taking the first set 25-21. 

“It was a tough weekend, it was a really good battle and there was some really good resilience and fight by the Cougars,” said Dino’s head coach Christine Biggs. 

The second looked similar to the first, MRU almost unable to track the ball. For every point they gained, they gave one away. It wasn’t until Quinn Pelland took the line and began to serve that the momentum began to shift in Mount Royal’s favour and give a glimpse at the team they were yesterday. 

They went from trailing by two to leading by six in no time at all. MRU held their lead for the entire second half of the set, with Dholi Thokbuom sealing the deal with a massive kill from the middle, taking the set 25-22 over the Dinos. 

“I love the back row tactics,” said Roe, MRU player of the game. “I love hitting.”

And she proved herself tonight. Roe made 18 kills, six digs and two blocks. 

Mount Royal had a fierce start to the third set, going up 5-1 over Calgary before Biggs was forced to call a timeout and reset. 

They continued their run until U of C used their second time out with MRU up 15-6. 

It must have worked, the Dinos added six while only giving one, forcing Smith into his first time out of the set. 

“It was nice to play our last game in our hometown,” said Stella Rains, Calgary’s player of the game. “It’s a strange feeling [being a fifth year]. It’s a sour ending but I’ll always remember the good parts.” 

Rains and the Dinos ended the season with a 1-1 playoff record and a 13-11 season record. 

There was no shortage of effort coming from both sides of the net, with Calgary and Mount Royal diving for every loose ball. The set finally went in favour of MRU, 25-17, putting them up 2-1 in the game. 

The fourth set was almost like deja vu to the third. Mount Royal created a lead early on and were able to contain the Dinos throughout. Second year Faye Murray put on a huge show, throwing down (KILLS) by the end of the night. 

It was the series of the season, both squads leaving everything they had on the court and finding any way to sneak the ball past a block. In the end, Mount Royal took the set 25-13 over Calgary, with Emma Boyd hitting down the final attack.

The Cougars will host their semi-final series next weekend against the winner of the Manitoba versus UBC series. 

Watch the games live on Canada West TV.