CALGARY – The University of Calgary Dinos men's volleyball team won a tight opening set but were unable to capitalise, falling 3-1 (26-24, 11-25, 22-25, 8-25) to the UBC Okanagan Heat on Friday night in the Jack Simpson Gymnasium.
The loss drops Calgary to 0-3 in Canada West play, while UBCO improves to 2-1.
The Dinos came out strong in the first set. After falling behind 10-5 early, Calgary battled back to tie it 18-18. Back-to-back blocks, both with Luke Nodwell at the net, initiated a three-point run. With the set tied 24-24, Jackson Vandersteen put down a kill, and a Heat attack error sealed it 26-24.
The momentum swung sharply in the second set. UBCO broke it open with seven straight points to go from 12-8 to 19-8, served four aces in the set and cruised to a 25-11 win.
Calgary was competitive again in the third, a back-and-forth set with 15 ties in which neither team led by more than three points. It was tied 19-19 before the Heat pushed ahead. A Cole Czepuryk kill pulled the Dinos close at 24-22, but UBCO closed it out 25-22.
The Dinos couldn't get their attack going in the fourth set and managed just four kills. UBCO pulled away early and finished the match with nine straight points.
"They increased their pressure and serve, which made it hard for us to score out of system," said Dinos head coach Graham Vigrass. "They have a good block, and it just made it hard for us to score in position four and two when we were off the net."
Vandersteen led the Dinos with nine kills and 10.5 points, Nodwell added seven kills and two blocks, and setter Matthew Brown had 29 assists. For the Heat, Xander van Driel led all players with 17 kills on .481 hitting, Jack Taylor added seven kills and five blocks, Seba Manuel had seven kills and three aces, and Dominic Sodaro had 29 assists and 10 digs.
Vigrass kept his focus for the rematch simple.
"Score when we're off the net," he said.
The Dinos will return to action Saturday, Nov. 7 when they host the Heat again at 5:45 p.m. in the Jack Simpson Gymnasium.
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