BOX SCORE

CALGARY – The University of Calgary Dinos one-upped themselves Saturday night, shaving four minutes off their 75-minute three-set win Friday to sweep the Saskatchewan Huskies with a businesslike one hour, 11-minute effort 3-0 (25-16, 25-15, 25-18) Saturday night in the Jack Simpson Gym.

The loss keeps the Huskies winless at 0-14, while the Dinos improve to 8-6 and keep pace in the logjam that is becoming the race four fourth place – and a home playoff date – with just three weeks to go in the regular season. Calgary sits just one game back of Alberta and Manitoba (both 9-5), and they'll get their chance at the Pandas next week in Edmonton.

On this night, however, the Dinos led early and often and never looked back. Efficiently running the offence at a better than 40 per cent clip, Calgary pulled away late in all three sets to cruise to the victory.

“We came out, played hard, and did some really good things again tonight,” said first-year Dinos head coach Natalie Schwartz. “We had some late changes to the roster that forced a couple of girls onto the floor, and on the whole I thought we played steady, consistent volleyball tonight.”

The Dinos got another good effort out of middle Ali Sandholm, who shared the team lead of 10 kills with left side Sarah Moncks. Lindsey Doland put up eight, while Maura Hayes chipped in with six.

Schwartz was forced to make two lineup changes after two players were sidelined with an illness. Fifth-year middle Melanie Miazga was under the weather and replaced by freshman Emma Pedersen, who performed admirably with five kills on 10 attempts in the match, while sophomore Jordhynn Guy was pressed into action after warm-up when fifth-year setter Sarah Lacny was unable to play. Guy responded with another impressive performance, pounding four kills and chalking up 30 assists in just three sets' work, adding four blocks in the process.

The Huskies were led in kills once again by Candace Hueser with six, although that total was mitigated by seven errors. Middles Laura Beadle and Kayla Tycholiz magaged five kills each, while Erin McGladdery added four. The Dinos nearly doubled up the Huskies in the kills department, with Saskatchewan scoring just 23 against Calgary's 45.

Hueser also led the way with seven digs for Saskatchewan, matching Moncks' total for the Dinos.

The Huskies head to Kamloops, B.C. next weekend for a date with the Thompson Rivers WolfPack (6-10), while the Dinos pay that all-important visit to the SCSC in Edmonton to face the Pandas. Calgary returns to the Jack Feb. 3-4 when the Trinity Western Spartans close out the regular season home schedule for the Dinos.

-UC-