Oliver Rizun, Heat sports information
Kelowna, B.C. - After capturing the first set on home court, the Heat men's volleyball team couldn't close the deal against the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack on Thursday night, eventually falling in four sets.
With the loss, the Heat (5-16) are eliminated from playoff contention with three games left on the conference schedule. Thompson Rivers improves to 10-11 on the season, which has them sitting in the seventh spot in the Canada Westand clinches a spot in the CW post season. Lars Bornemann would finish with a game-high 20 kills on the night for the Heat, bringing his career total to 1232 which now puts him just 28 behind the school's all-time leader Nate Speijer (1260).
First set: (25-23)
The first set would go back and forth throughout as neither team had any more then a three points lead in the set. At 21-21 the Heat would jump ahead thanks to a kill from Devon Cote and this was followed up with an attack error from the 'Pack. The home team would have set point at 24-23 and Max Heppell would win the set for the Heat with a kill. Morgan Nichols would have 12 assists in the set while the aforementioned Cote tallied five kills.
Second set: (22-25)
The Heat would jump out early in the second set and the visiting 'Pack would be trailing for much of the frame but would mount a comeback late. After UBCO led 21-16, the visitors would score nine of the next ten points to even the match up at one set a piece.
Third set: (23-25)
It was a 5-1 run midway through the third set for the WolfPack that would give them momentum and the upper hand in the match and they were able to take a one set lead in the match. The visitors offense had their best set of the night in the third, as they had a .207 hitting percentage thanks to 11 kills on just 29 attempts.
Fourth set: (23-25)
Six straight points from the Heat would give them a 15-13 lead near the midway point of the set but they could not hold on to force a fifth set. The 'Pack bounced back with six of the next seven points to regain control of the match and a big kill from TRU's Sam Taylor-Parks would give them match point where Charlie Bringloe closed the match out for the visitors.
Impact performances:
UBC Okanagan:
- Third year outside hitter Devon Cote finished with 10 kills on the night for the Heat along with three total blocks.
- First year setter Morgan Nichols came close to his career-high but fell just short as he had 44 assists on the night, one behind his personal-best of 45.
Thompson Rivers:
- Tim Dobbert led the way for the 'Pack as he had a team-high 14 kills along with six digs and three blocks.
- Cole Keddie fell just short a double-double on the night, finishing with nine kills and 10 digs.
Presidents Cup:
- Volleyball will be the final portion of the Kelowna Kamloops university competition of the Presidents' Cup between the schools. The Cup is handed out at the end of every season for the cumulative best school in head-to-head results– in each gender- of Canada West competition.
- With the win, the WolfPack locked up the men's side for the fifth consecutive year and 12th straight time in the history of the competition as their was a break between 2003 and 2014. 2018 Scoring Matrix | Full History
Whats next:
The Heat (5-16) and the WolfPack (10-11) will meet up once again on Saturday night in Kamloops, with first serve going at 6:45 p.m.