Huskie Athletics

SASKATOON – It took the complete five sets to find a winner but in the end the University of Saskatchewan Huskies were unable to keep their winning streak alive in a 3-2 (22-25, 25-20, 25-18, 25-19, 15-8) loss at the hands of the Calgary Dinos on Nov. 10 inside the PAC.
 
The difference in the match was a lack of mistakes from a Dinos squad that out-hit Saskatchewan .262% - .196% while also committing ten less service errors.
 
Calgary moves to 2-2 on the season with the victory, while the loss snaps Saskatchewan's three game winning streak and moves them to 3-3 in Canada West play.
 
Tim Taylor was impressive on the day, finishing with 21 kills, seven kills and three blocks. Liam Kuppe was next up on the Calgary scoresheet with 10 kills and seven digs.
 
Saskatchewan was once again led by Dylan Mortensen and Colin Fraser who finished the five-set marathon with 24 and 14 kills respectively, while CJ Gavlas recorded a game-high 41 assists.
 
Looking to build off their momentum from a straight-sets victory the night before, Saskatchewan came out the better of the two teams in the first set. Six different players for Saskatchewan recorded a kill in the first frame as they spread the ball around the court to jump out to a 25-22 victory.
 
Unlike the previous night however, Calgary found an immediate response.
 
The Dinos would take the next two sets by scores of 25-20 and 25-18 thanks to ten combined kills from Parker Siroishka and Mitchell Higgin. In those sets, the Dinos were able to ride out waves of attacks from the Huskies and prevent the home team from going on any prolonged runs.
 
Saskatchewan wasn't willing to go down on home court without a fight however and they stormed back to take the fourth set by a score of 25-19.
 
The key to the fourth was Saskatchewan cleaning up their hitting to out-hit Calgary to the tune of .355% - .194%. The Huskies also added four service aces in the frame.
 
The Dinos found another gear in the fifth and final set however, and ran away for the 15-8 victory.
 
The turning point came with the Huskies leading 7-6. Calgary closed the match on a 9-1 run thanks in part to four kills from Taylor.
 
The Huskies are back in action next weekend when they host the Trinity Western Spartans on Nov. 16 & 17.
 
Calgary meanwhile will remain on the road to face the Brandon Bobcats in Manitoba on those same nights.