CALGARY – Cougars women volleyball team start the season with a win. It was the home opener for the Cougars as they took on the Winnipeg Wesmen this weekend. After a clean sweep during the first matchup, the Cougars were looking for similar results. The Cougars were able to defeat the Wesmen in four sets, giving them the match win both Friday and Saturday. Wesmen took the first set 25-20 but were unable to stop the Cougars in the next three. The Cougars took the following sets, 25-16, 25-15 and 27-15.
Mount Royal Cougars Donaghy is a force to be reckoned with in the front row. She leads the team in kills with a total of 15 over the four sets. Following close behind is Park with 12. Between the two of them, the Cougars played a very strong offensive game. Defensively the team put up a total of eight and a half blocks and a total of 49 digs. Park and Pelland made up nearly half of the teams digs with 10 each.
Winnipeg Wesmens' star in the front row was Schulz with a total of 11 kills. The closest attacker behind her was Laube with eight. The team was able to pick up 44 attacks, leading in digs with a total of 13 was Yaeger. Putting up eight blocks the teams had similar results with hands at the net.
After their loss on Friday night, the Wesmen came out strong in the first set. The teams both scrambled, to ensure never to give up on a ball. Points went back and forth, and at the technical timeout Cougars had pulled ahead 16-14. Despite being down two points, Wesmen outside hitter Schulz came in for the kill, which shifted the luck into their favour. The Wesmen pulled ahead taking the first set 25-20.
With their first loss on home court, the Cougars knew it was time to step up. Park and Donaghy were both hungry for the kill. Wesmens' middle Colvin attempted to get hands on their swings but was unable to stop them. Cougars Talbot also showed a strong presence in the front row when subbed in as an outside attacker. Despite coming off of a win, the Wesmen were unable to catch the Cougars who won the set by nine points with a final score of 25-16.
The Cougars took an early lead in the third set. With kills coming from all three positions in the front row, the Wesmen couldn't keep up. At the technical time, out Cougars lead by nine, 16-7. Cougars Donaghy was fed the ball in the front row extending the lead with multiple kills. After a huge block from Wesmens Boughton and Fehr, they were able to go on a run. Although they shortened the gap, they were unsuccessful in catching the Cougars who won 25-15 on a kill from Donaghy.
The fourth set was a much closer game. Both teams stayed within three points for the majority of the set. Wesmens' presence at the net was strong with a few huge blocks from Yaeger and Colvin. At the technical timeout, Cougars lead 16-14. Following the timeout, it was a point for point game. Tied at 24 it was do or die for the Wesmen. Unfortunately for them Cougars top attacker Donaghy put the game away with two kills for a final score of 27-25.
Cougars star attacker Alex Donaghy says, "We need to work on consistency. It starts in game day practice, and we didn't come out as thirsty for the win on night two." The Cougars hit the road for there next game against UBCO Okanagan. They will be back on home court Nov. 10 playing Regina, where they can only hope for results similar to tonight.