WVB: Huskies Season Comes to an End

WINNIPEG, MB – The Saskatchewan Huskies were looking to end the 2022-2023 season on a high note after being eliminated from playoff contention on Friday night. Saturday night’s game against the Winnipeg Wesmen would be the last for graduating players Averie Allard, Caet McCorkell ,and Jessica Andjelic.
 
The first start saw the Huskies fall behind early, trailing 10-5. Saskatchewan would not trail for long, taking five straight to tie the game 10-10. The teams traded points until Winnipeg took four straight points late in the set to go up 20-18. Trailing 23-20, Saskatchewan head coach Mark Dodds called a timeout to refocus his team. Giving up the first point out of the timeout, the Huskies grabbed thne next two to keep things tight at 22-24 but ultimately fell to the Wesmen 22-25.
 
Saskatchewan started the second set with a 4-2 lead before five straight from Winnipeg. Trailing 11-8, Saskatchewan would find a groove taking seven straight points to go up 15-11. The Huskies would let the Wesmen back into it, giving up eight of nine points to trail 19-16. Trailing 24-22 ,Saskatchewan was at risk of falling behind two sets to none, but Rosetta Cyr had back-to-back kills for the Huskies to tie it at 24-24. After a Wesmen timeout, Rosetta Cyr had another kill before an Averie Allard ace gave the Huskies the 26-24 set win, tying the game at one set a piece. 

The third set had both teams going back and forth, with neither team going on a run of more than three points. The Huskies would lead 22-20 but Winnipeg would hold out and push the set to a 24-24 tie. A Huskie timeout to try and gain momentum wouldn’t favour the Huskies and the Wesmen would take two straight points out of the time out to win the set 26-24. 
 
Winnipeg jumped out to an early 10-6 lead to start the fourth set, with the Huskies responding to get it with one at 10-9 Wesmen. Another extended drought for Saskatchewan gave Winnipeg a 16-10 advantage. The Huskies would fight their way back, taking seven of the next eight points to go up 18-17. Winnipeg’s offence would go on a run to take the 21-18 before a Huskies timeout. Saskatchewan would take five straight out of the timeout to go up 23-2, forcing the Wesmen to call a timeout of their own. In the end, it was Winnipeg who would take the 27-25 set win and ending the Huskies season.

KEY PERFORMANCES
In their final games as Saskatchewan Huskies, Caet McCorkell would put up five kills nad 14 digs. Setter Averie Allard had 41 assists, three aces, and one kill, while Jessica Andjelic had 45 and two assists for the Huskies. Winnipeg’s Emma Parker had 21 kills and two aces, while Ashleigh Laube chipped in with 10 kills and three aces. Setter Portia Switzer had a game high 52 assists.