CALGARY –  Sean Tuff lead the Dinos to a 3-0 (27-25, 25-22, 25-23) win over the Thompson Rivers WolfPack on Jan. 25 at Jack Simpson Gymnasium where the middle recorded a game-high 15 points in the win. 

The first set saw both teams in a tight race for the lead and the WolfPack earned it heading into the first technical timeout of the night. Some sloppy play from the visitors allowed for a Dinos sideout to get them back in it. 

Later in the opening set, Calgary trailed by two when Trent Monagle came in to serve. The third-year Arts student delivered for the Dinos with an ace and continued to serve, forcing Thompson Rivers to call a timeout when the Dinos took the lead at 21-20. 

Despite Mongale being iced by Thompson Rivers head coach Pat Hennelly, the home team would fight back for the lead once again. They would get it from left side Greg Mann, who caught the WolfPack on their heels with a roll shot. Trading points up until 25, a huge kill from Tuff in the middle, for his fifth of the night, and an ace following that from setter Jackson Maris solidified the first-set win at 27-25 in favour of the Dinos. 

In the second, two aces very early on from Dino Sean Martin gave Calgary a 4-2 lead. That two-point lead was maintained throughout the first half of the set and Calgary headed into the technical timeout up 16-13. 

Thompson Rivers did their best to get back into the game, but Calgary would have none of it, recording kills from a number of positions on the court and picking up all the WolfPack could throw at it. A kill from the back row on the right side from Martin gave the Dinos a two-set lead at 25-22. 

The third set saw Thompson Rivers come out on fire, causing Calgary to make a number of small mistakes. With the Dinos down 8-4, they continued to have trouble breaking that lead all the way up until the technical timeout where the WolfPack lead 16-12. 

Two quick points from the Dinos off the technical timeout were aces from Jeremy Guenther and a block from Tuff put the home team within one. Calgary finally took their first lead of the third set at 19-18 with a hitting error from the visitors. Both teams went point for point from then until 23 all.

A net call allowed the Dinos to get the first crack at game point and they capitalized, winning the third 25-23. 

Tuff's 15 points were accompanied by another 11.5 from teammate Mann and nine from Martin. For the WolfPack, Brad Gunter recorded 14.5 points on 11 kills and 3.5 blocks, and Matt Krueger picked up a game-high 13 digs. 

The Dinos (5-12) and the WolfPack (6-11) go at it again Jan. 26 at Jack Simpson Gymnasium at 6:30 p.m. 

-UC-