David Larkins, Wesmen Athletics

WINNIPEG - The Winnipeg Wesmen were left lamenting late-match errors and watched a 2-1 lead in sets evaporate in a five-set loss to the Saskatchewan Huskies Saturday night.

Three Wesmen players had double-digit kills and five posted double-digit digs, but the U of W women's volleyball team couldn't hold on for a victory, dropping a 3-2 (25-17, 24-26, 25-20, 22-25, 15-11) Canada West conference decision to the Huskies at the Duckworth Centre. 

Kalena Schulz had 12 kills and a career-high 17 digs, Ashleigh Laube had 14 kills and matched a career-high with 17 digs and libero Jessica Andjelic had a career-high 22 digs for the Wesmen, who had a 22-20 lead in the fourth set already leading two sets to one.

But Olivia Mattern, who finished with 14 kills and 13 digs, had kills on four of the next five points as the Huskies rallied to force a fifth.

"It's really nice to see a first-year kid that's stuck in the front row with a front-row setter to do what she did there to end off that fourth set," Saskatchewan head coach Mark Dodds said. "That shows a lot of what type of person and player she is to take on that challenge head on."

Emily Koshinsky had 18 kills and 27 digs for the Huskies, who also got a 29-dig effort from libero Shae Beaulieu.

Emma Parker also had double-digit kills with 11 to go along with 10 digs, her eighth double-double of the season. 

"This was a much better effort in many ways but there were still too many unforced hitting errors and when you give one whole set away in hitting errors, that's a challenge," Wesmen head coach Diane Scott said. "We had our chance to win the fourth set. We had a chance, so when you have those chances you have to learn to handle them and take them. That takes ice in the veins."

The Wesmen committed 37 attacking errors on 209 total swings, hitting .096 for the match. Saskatchewan had 29 errors and hit .129 for the night.

Photo: David Larkins/Wesmen Athletics