CALGARY – In their second game against the Thompson Rivers WolfPack of the weekend, the Dinos completed the sweep with a 3-1 (25-13, 26-24, 23-25, 25-11) win on Jan 26. at Jack Simpson Gymnasium. 

All tied up at five early on, the Dinos took their first lead of the match with rookie Ali Woolley at the line, forcing the WolfPack to call a timeout at 9-5. Despite a side out from the visiting team, Lindsay Russell began her domination with a kill on the right side. Calgary built up a five-point lead to head into the first technical timeout with a score of 16-11 with a kill from Courtney Dawson in the middle. 

Woolley and middle Angelica Quiring created a block the WolfPack couldn't get past nearing the end of the set, and the Dinos easily took it 25-13 for the lead. 

The second set saw some new faces on the court for the Dinos including middle Danielle Newton, and Kyjsa Brkich setting. They built up a massive 16-4 lead to head into the technical. Rookie Morgan Dale came in to serve and took the Dinos to a 17-6 lead before it all changed.

The scrappy Thompson Rivers squad clawed its way back into the game, going on a 14-2 run to get within two points at 22-20. The WolfPack found a way to tie it up at 22, and it would take Sarah Moncks subbing in to get the job down and get the ball back for Calgary. Trading points, Russell eventually finished off the set for the Dinos with a kill from the right side to take it 26-24. 

It would seem the same story would continue in the third set. The Dinos took a large lead early on in the set and with Russell continuing to produce on the right side, they headed into the technical up seven points. 

The comeback kids once again made an appearance for Thompson Rivers. Closing in late in the set, the visitors found a way to tie it up at 18 to the shock of Calgary. After a much needed timeout, the Dinos gained three points back with Jordhynn Guy back in the match and with Dawson at the line. 

The Dinos ultimate downfall would be the serving coming from WolfPack setter Katie Woo. She aced for three to get Thompson Rivers to game point, and they solidified it a point later, forcing a fourth at 25-23.

With the Dinos' regular starters back in for the fourth, they dominated, going six points before the WolfPack even got on the board. At 11-3, Thompson Rivers was forced to call a timeout as they were being shut down in all areas. Calgary went up 16-7 for the technical break with a big kill from Andrea Price on the right side.

The Dinos went on to lock up the game with a 25-11 victory in the fourth. Price had a game-high nine kills and added another seven digs for the Dinos. Rookie Woolley followed with another seven kills and Russell recorded six more.

Carly Nelson and Katarina Osadchuk led the way for Thompson Rivers with nine kills each, followed by teammates Rachel Murray and Kristen Giesbrecht who both added seven more. 

With the win, the Dinos improve to 9-9 on the season, while the WolfPack drops to 0-18 despite picking up their second set win of the year. With just four games left, Calgary heads out to Langley, B.C. to take on the Trinity Western Spartans on Feb. 1-2. Thompson Rivers hosts Mount Royal Feb. 2-3.

-UC-