KELOWNA, BC - After dropping the first set to the University of Calgary Dinos, the UBC Okanagan Heat never looked back as they won the next three sets to take the Canada West men's volleyball match 3-1 (22-25, 25-21, 25-21, 25-23).
With tonight's win the Heat improve their win streak to six straight and improve their record to 6-12. Handing Calgary the loss drops the Dinos' record to an equal 6-12 on the season.
With the end of the regular season just one month away and playoff ambitions still alive for both teams the immediate upcoming schedule holds must win games for both teams. Currently sixth place is held by three teams with nine wins, and only seven teams go through to playoffs.
For UBC Okanagan, their winning streak will be tested at home as they take on the Thompson Rivers WolfPack this Thursday (Jan 15) at 8 p.m. PST.
The University of Calgary will return home to face off against the Winnipeg Wesmen next Friday (Jan 16) at 7:30 p.m. MST.
Lars Bornemann (Outside Hitter, Victoria, BC) finished the match off with a kill to close out the fourth set with a score of 25-23. Bornemann would finish with eight kills in the match and post two of his team's eight service aces.
Fellow outside hitter Jim Bell (3rd year, Surrey, BC) had four kills in the fourth set and led UBC Okanagan with 14 kills overall.
Third years Alex Swiatlowski (Outside Hitter, Victoria, BC) and Heat Player of the Game Kristof Schlagintweit (Setter, Abbotsford, BC) contributed 10 digs each.
The Dinos' Sean Tuff tallied 11 kills on the night. Outside hitter Keith West (2nd year, Lethbridge, AB) put up eight digs for his squad and added in seven kills in the process.
The Dinos got off to an early lead thanks to a service run by fifth year Sean Tuff (Middle, Red Deer, AB) then Braden O'Toole (5th year, Outside Hitter, Canmore, AB) put the nail down with a kill. First set to Calgary 25-22.
In the second and third sets the Heat increased the offensive pressure on their opponents, forcing more errors from the Calgary team while decreasing the frequency of their own.
UBC Okanagan would hit .435 in a balanced assault on the Dinos in the third set, taking both sets by the score of 25-21.
Running the offence smoothly in the last three sets earned Schlagintweit the player of the match for the home team, he finished with 36 assists.
"We've turned around our confidence, knowing we can execute our skills and that it doesn't matter what they do on their side. Now that we're winning again, it makes it easier to play well," said the third year setter.