WVB: Straight set victory opens Cougars playoff run

WVB: Straight set victory opens Cougars playoff run

2/24/2023 10:00:20 PM

Ellery Platts

The Mount Royal Cougars opened their playoff run with a swift three set win over the University of Calgary Dinos in their first quarterfinal matchup of the weekend. 

“They’re a really good team, we knew we would have to be prepared today,” said Cougars head coach Shane Smith. “Proud of how we played today and will expect their best tomorrow for another good match.”

An early five point lead for MRU forced CGY into time out and set a promising tone for the remainder of the game. The Dinos were forced to take their second time out shortly after when MRU went up 10-2.

The women had pure connection and power, taking the first set with ease, 25-14. Dholi Thokbuom was a major player, having five of the teams (KILLS) kills in the opening set.

Calgary came into the second more competitive, not allowing the Cougars to create an untouchable lead off the start. MRU pushed back against a more awake Dinos squad and used tricks and skill to force a slight lead for themselves as they crept toward the mid way point of the set. 

“In the first set we were almost a little afraid of their big blocks and tried to play around them,” said Alice Nikolaychuk, CGY’s player of the game. “We have to come out energetic right away, we came out flat.”

Nikolaychuk finished the night with a team high 11 kills, accompanied with four digs. 

Thokbuom put down another five kills before the second set was done, and helped propel the team to a tight 25-21 set win. 

Calgary continued to build throughout the game, the third set having their best performance of the night. They continuously kept the Cougars within three, slowly increasing the pressure with every service. 

“Obviously not how we were hoping to come out and I think we’ve got a level of execution that we are capable of that we gotta figure out how to bring tomorrow,” said Calgary head coach Christine Biggs. “We just have to execute the things we are capable of as a group.”

At the halfway point, Mount Royal only held a slim one point lead over the visitors. Haley Roe saw the opportunity and hammered one down against Calgary libero Michela Alongi, and started the run that would seal the victory. 

The Cougars put down seven points before the Dinos were back on the service line, and still MRU only gave up one. 

Mount Royal had textbook defence that all stemmed from veterans Quinn Pelland and Sarah McKillican. This duo paired with Thokbuom and Roe’s powerful offence were a combination to be feared in the gym. They claimed the final set 25-17 and put themselves in good position to continue the series on Saturday.

“It was pretty electric. We’ve been working hard for this and we were excited for the playoffs,” said Thokbuom. She earned herself tonight’s player of the game for MRU after 12 kills, three aces and six blocks. “They’re going to come firing tomorrow and we have to be ready.”

The second game of this quarterfinal match-up starts at five p.m. in Kenyon Court, a rematch you won’t want to miss. Catch the game live on Canada West TV.