By Larry Read

TRU Sports Information Officer

KAMLOOPS, BC:  The Thompson Rivers University WolfPack won the opening set against the number one ranked team in USPORTS and were close—but dropped a four set decision to the visiting Brandon University Bobcats.

The scores in Canada West men's volleyball play on Friday (Feb 1)  were 20-25,26-24,27-25,25-20.

The Bobcats move to 17-2 on the year while the Pack are at 9-8.

Seth Friesen led the offense for Brandon with 12 kills.   Charlie Bringloe and Tim Dobbert each had 13 for Thompson Rivers.

 SYNOPSIS

The Bobcats had only given up one set in the last 12 matches going into this one. The Wolfpack started off strong and jumped out to an 11-5 lead before the number one team in the nation rallied to cut the deficit to 14-13.  TRU head coach Pat Hennelly called a time out to settle his crew down and they promptly got the next point. After Brandon rallied the Pack got that 16^th point to take a two point lead into the tech time out.  Brandon came out and got two points including a double block off TRU star Tim Dobbert (5^th year, outside hitter, Achelberg, Germany) to tie things up at 16.   The Pack went on a bit of a run and led 23-19 which resulted in Grant Wilson, the Bobcat coach asking for time to talk to his troops.  Charlie Bringloe (4^th year, outside, Waterloo,ON), Sam Taylor Parks (4^th year, middle, Kelowna, BC) and Dobbert each had 4 kills while Seth Friesen (4^th year, outside hitter, Brandon, MB) had five kills.

In the second set,  Brandon got the early lead and took the second set 26-4 to square the match at one. Friesen had four kills along with Elliot Viles (3^rd year, outside hitter, Adelaide, AUS).  Bringloe had five kills for the Pack while Taylor Parks and Dobbert added three.

The third set was similar to the second, as they battled point for point needing extras before the Bobcats took the set 27-25.

In the fourth set, teams tied at seven when Dobbert threw the ball down to give the Pack the lead. After Friesen tied it up, Dobbert went to work again and bounced the ball of a double block. Leading 10-9, Friesen came up with a huge solo block on Dobbert .   Brandon led 16-13 going into the tech time out looking to finish the WolfPack and extend their 12 match winning streak. Again, the teams battled with Brandon coming out on top 25-20.

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS: 

click here

THEY SAID IT (Post Matc Quotes):

TRU head coach Pat Hennelly:

On the match: " We were in the second and the third set as well.  I was proud of the guys. They are obviously some big guys on the other side of the net. They made big blocks and big hits. We stayed focus. I thought it was Anton's best game so far. We talked about coming out here and competing and keeping our heads up. I am really proud of the guys. It is some of the best volleyball we have played in a while."

Coaches Video Post Game Interview:   click here

Brandon Coach Grant Wilson (7^th season):

On bouncing back from first set loss:  "It was a bit of an uphill battle from the start. They came out and put a lot of pressure on us. We didn't handle it so well early. Thankfully the guys stuck with it and we ended up and put it together and pulled it out.  This was unfamiliar territory for us recently, but long term no. We have had some success recently doing well early in matches. Pleased with how our guys handled it."

Coaches Video Post Game Interview:  click here

UP NEXT:

The WolfPack and Bobcats will close out their weekend series back on the champ court at the Tournament Capital Centre tomorrow (Sat  Feb 2).  Game time is 6:45 pm.   Tonights game was the first of four final home regular season matches for Thompson Rivers.

The Saskatchewan Huskies will be in town next weekend (Feb 8-9).  It will mark the return of Nathan Bennett to Kamloops and TRU.   Bennett left the TRU women's program to take over as the head coach of the men's team in Saskatchewan.  The two game series will be played at the old  TRU gym due to a scheduling conflict at the Tournament Capital Centre.  It will also be 'retro' weekend where a number of teams from the school's  Cariboo College and University College of the Cariboo days will be honored.

OF NOTE:   The "TRU Bookstore/McDonalds Leader of the Pack Player of the Match" was: Bringloe.