CALGARY – The University of Calgary Dinos men's volleyball team closed out its fall semester Friday night against the Trinity Western University Spartans at Jack Simpson Gymnasium. The Spartans topped the Dinos in straight sets (17-25, 14-25, 17-25) to extend their set streak to 30.
After a tough loss Friday, the Dinos came to play and kept the energy high on the court early in the first. Although the Spartans went up early, thanks in part to three points by Eric Loeppky in rapid succession, the Dinos fought back. With the Dinos suffering from several service errors, similarly to the night prior, the Spartans sealed the deal to finish the set 25-17.
The rolling Spartans kept things going in the second as they smothered the Dinos offense to go up again – thanks to four consecutive kills from the Spartans front line. The Spartans made short work of the Dinos in the second set, taking it 25-14.
Heading into the third it was do or die for the Dinos who needed to pick up a set to keep things going against the Spartans. While the Dinos kept up with the Spartans to open the set, it was the Spartans who one again pulled ahead thanks to four consecutive TWU points. While the Dinos fought back against the top-ranked team in U SPORTS, it wasn't enough to end the Spartans set streak.
Leading the Dinos again Saturday was fifth-year
Mac McNicol who offered up six kills on the night. Third-year business major
Tomas Sorra was also key for the Dinos as he scored four thanks to a handful of quick dumps falling straight into the middle of Spartan territory.
"Their middles were read blocking on ours so there was open spaces for me to go and just dump the ball in and that was kind of one of our game plans, just to have them respect the right side of our court," said Sorra.
On the Spartans side it was Loeppky who led the way with 13 kills on the night. The fourth-year outside hitter from Steinbach, Man. played an integral role by offering up a number of key points for the Spartans. Calgary native Jackson Howe also played a key role for the Spartans as he posted seven kills on the evening.
Both teams wrapped up their fall semester this evening and will return to action in the New Year. The Dinos will be ringing in the New Year in Winnipeg as they take on the Manitoba Bisons on Jan. 3-4, while the Spartans host the MRU Cougars in Langley Jan. 10-11.
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