EDMONTON - The defending national champion University of Alberta Golden Bears volleyball team opened the 2014-15 season in style with a 3-0 win (25-16, 25-22, 25-20) over the visiting UBC-Okanagan Heat on Friday night at the Saville Community Sports Centre.

Third-year left-side hitter Ryan Nickifor led Alberta with 13 kills, while right-side hitter Kevin Proudfoot chipped in with 11. Proudfoot, who is in his fourth season, finished the night with an impressive .667 attack percentage, as well as game highs in aces (3) and digs (5).

The Heat, which finished last season out of the Canada West playoffs, got a team high 10 kills from Jim Bell, a third-year middle, while Alex Swiatlowski added nine kills in the loss as well.

Alberta dominated the Heat from the service line, spinning eight aces on UBC-O, while only surrendering one in return. Aside from Proudfoot's three, the Bears also got two each from Nickifor and Ryley Barnes, while Michael Goertz added one.

The Bears also finished with a team attack percentage of .338, compared to .132 for UBC-O.

After opening the match with a quick and decisive 25-16 first set victory, the Heat roared back in the second set, thanks to a .591 attack percentage, but they couldn't hold on for the win as they eventually were overwhelmed by the Bears, losing 25-22.

The two teams were close for the most the third set as well, with UBC-O holding slim leads throughout, but Alberta seemed to get better as the points increased, and was able to close out the match with superior blocking and aces from Proudfoot and Nickifor at 25-20.

Alberta and UBC-O will clash again on Saturday, this time at 6:30 p.m., and the Bears will also add their seventh CIS national championship banner to the walls of the Saville Community Sports Centre.