CALGARY – The Calgary Dinos returned to Jack Simpson Gym on Saturday for the second match of the weekend against the top-ranked Alberta Pandas but came up short in a straight-set loss, falling 25–14, 25–17, 25–16.
Alberta set the tone early, showing why it sits atop the division. The Pandas ran a balanced offence, spread the ball well and applied steady pressure from the service line. Abby Guezen, Laila Johnston and Allie Moore led the early attack, while service aces from Ronnie Dickson disrupted Calgary's rhythm.
The Dinos found points through
Sophia Hansen and
Anya Fehr, with
Leni Blanke adding timely kills. However, Calgary struggled to sustain runs. Alberta maintained control throughout the set and closed it out quickly at 25–14.
Calgary showed more pushback in the second set. Early miscues again created a deficit, but
Ashley Ditchfield and
Narelle Arnold helped generate offence, while Hansen scored key points at the net. Longer rallies highlighted improved ball control, and the Dinos briefly kept pace midway through the set.
Service pressure from Hansen and
Izzy Taylor produced a handful of aces, helping Calgary narrow the gap at several points. Still, Alberta's composure held. Moore finished several key plays, and the Pandas combined clean net play with strong serving to secure the set 25–17.
The third set featured some of Calgary's best individual moments. Taylor and Hansen delivered service aces that kept the Dinos within reach early. Solid touches and blocks extended rallies and created scoring chances.
Alberta's depth again made the difference, as did their impressive serving. Justine Kolody, Guezen and Henderson delivered kills at crucial moments, while consistent serving allowed the Pandas to pull away late. Alberta racked up eight of their 15 aces in the final frame and closed things out 25-16 in the third to complete the sweep.
The Dinos will look to build on the positives from the weekend when they return home next week to face the Thunderbirds. Meanwhile, Alberta returns home to host Winnipeg, starting Friday.
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