By Larry Read

TRU Sports Information Officer

KAMLOOPS, BC—The Thompson Rivers University WolfPack women's volleyball are into the win column for the first time this young Canada West season. The WolfPack, spurred on by a huge crowd on their opening night on the Warner Rentals court beat the UBC Thunderbirds in five sets.

The scores were 21-25, 25-23,16-25,25-21,15-11.

TRU (now 1-2) got 11 kills from Olga Savenchuk and 10 off the arm of Avery Pottle.

UBC (now 0-3) was led by national team member Kiera Van Ryk with 15 kills.  Tessa Davis chipped in with 11 kills at the Tournament Capital Centre.

 SYNOPSIS

The Thunderbirds jumped out to an early lead in the first set but TRU came back took a 11-7 advantage at one point, causing UBC head coach Doug Reimer to call at time out.  The WolfPack were first to 16 leading 16-14 at the time out.  The T-Birds led by Keira Van Ryk (2^nd year, outside, Surrey, BC)  and Tessa Davis (4^th year, middle, Surrey, BC)  with four kills went on to beat the Pack in the first set 25-21.

In the second set was dominated by UBC. They jumped out to a five point lead and at 13-8, it was Chad Grimm of the WolfPack's turn to call a time out. That spurred on the Pack as they closed the deficit to three (15-12). But the T-Birds took a 16-12 lead into the tech time out.  Kendra Finch (4^th year, outside hitter, North Vancouver, BC) of TRU came in and served up a pair of aces to cut the UBC lead to 19-18. Reimer called a time out to try and shake the Pack. But Finch came out of the break and dealt a third straight 'ace' to tie the set at 19.  Then it was Avery Pottle (3^rd year, middle, Uxbridge, ON)'s time to shine. Two key blocks at the net gave TRU a 23-22 advantage and the eventual 25-23 win. Pottle had six kills in that set.

UBC was strong from the service line all match. In the third set especially, their serving propelled them to a 7-1 advantage at one point and coasted to a 16-7 tech time out lead. They rolled to a 25-16 victory. Davis had three kills to lead UBC in the set as did Brynn Pasin (1^st year, outside, Delta, BC). Olga Savenchuk (1^st year, outside hitter, Donetsk, Ukraine) had six blocks for TRU in the third.

In the fourth set, the teams traded points at the onset. The teams were deadlocked at seven when Hayley McNaught (1^st year, middle, Woking, AB) got the block to put TRU up by one (8-7). UBC, though, didn't waiver and picked up the next two points to take a 10-8 lead.  UBC clawed back and tied the set at 14. But it was the Pack ahead 16-15 at the tech time out.  The Pack went onto tie up the match with a 25-21 victory.

The fifth set saw UBC jump to a 3-0 lead. The third point coming on a block by Jayde Robinson (2^nd year, middle, Delta, BC).  Two points by Pottle cut the deficit for TRU to 4-2.  Two defensive errors by UBC resulted in the WolfPack tying things at 5 before a service ace courtesy of Abby Spratt (3^rd year, setter, Calgary, AB) which hit the tape and went in gave the WolfPack a 6-5 lead. Thompson Rivers took an 8-6 advantage into the break. Two TRU rookies:  McNaught and Erin Mutch (1^st year, outside hitter, Victoria, BC) came up with a service ace and block respectively to give their team a 10-6 advantage prompting UBC to call a time out.  It worked as the Thunderbirds notched two straight points before Savenchuk stopped the bleeding with a kill.  Two straight blocks by Spratt on Van Ryk gave TRU a 14-11 advantage. The Pack went onto win 15-11 and the match.

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS: 

Click here

KEY STATS:

                                TRU        21  25   16  25  15  ---3

                               UBC        25   23   25  21  11 ---2

TRU

 Olga Savenchuk: 11 kills in 25 swings, 12 digs, 2 service aces

Avery Pottle: 10 kills in 15 opportunities, 5 digs, 3 blocks, 2 block assists

Abby Spratt: 31 assists, 2 digs, 3 block assists

Kendra Finch: 9 kills in 41 chances, 5 service aces, 11 digs, 1 solo block, 1 block assist

Erin Mutch: 4 kills in 14 swings, 2 service aces, 12 digs, 2 block assists

Hayley McNaught: 1 kill in seven opportunities, 5 block assists

UBC:

Kiera Van Ryk: 15 kills in 46 swings, 7 digs, 2 block assists

Tessa Davis11 kills in 24 chances, 3 service aces, 4 digs

Olivia Ferlan: 34 assists, 2 service aces, 10 digs, 2 block assists

Victoria Behie: 9 kiils in 21 opportunities, 6 digs

RECORDS:

TRU: 1-2   UBC: 0-3

THEY SAID IT (post match quotes):

TRU head coach Chad Grimm:

On match: "We found away. I thought in the first two sets, offensively we played excellent. We didn't make errors. We talked about managing the game. It was just the serve/receive game that was holding us up. When we put pressure on serve we were successful. Our blocking and defense had a chance to take care of business. We forced UBC to go for it sometimes and they made some errors. In the fifth set, it was anyone's game. I am glad we came out on top."

On the play of the middles Avery Pottle and Hailey McNaught: " We know to be successful in this league we need to get some production out of middle. Last weekend, we ran it a whole lot and weren't successful a ton. We need to be able to do that. I thought Abby (Spratt, setter) did a great job of not only using it but using it in critical times where in the past she was a little afraid to do so. It makes it easy to set them when they were successful. Avery had a heck of a game not only offensively but blocking as well. Hats off to her."

COACHES POST GAME VIDEO INTERVIEW: click here

TRU outside hitter Kendra Finch (4^th year, North Vancouver, BC):

On the match: " I think at the end of the day we did our job. We stuck to our game plan and it worked out for us. UBC is a very good team. We played to our identity which I am very proud of.  This was a huge win with the big crowd. It made us more excited. I have a couple of friends on that team so it is always nice to beat them."

On her performance: " I struggled last weekend making smart decisions. That was my focus tonight. Being a smart attacker. It fared well for me tonight."

UBC head coach Doug Reimer ( season):

On match: "Obviously disappointed. We are making too many errors in certain situations. We could have been out of here 3-0 if we played a little better in the second set.  Having said that. I give Thompson Rivers a ton of credit. They outdefended us for sure. They kept balls alive in the second half of the match. They are full value in the end. "

On play of middles: " I think we have a lot of the pieces here. We have to figure out how to put it together more consistently. We have a good group. It will be a good challenge."

COACHES POST GAME VIDEO INTERVIEW: click here

UP NEXT:

The WolfPack utilized a double libero system with both Hali Drezet (3^rd year Prince George, BC) and Katie Ludvig (2^nd year, Kamloops, BC) playing that position.

Big crowd on hand for the home opener who were entertained by the action and the world famous "Kamloops Rube Band."  The teams  will be back at it again tomorrow (Saturday Oct 27) on the Warner Rentals court beginning at 5 pm.

Tomorrow's match will be webcast on www.Canadawesttv beginning with the pregame show at 4:50 pm with

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