~ Grayson Leahy // Heat athletics
KELOWNA, B.C. - The UBC Okanagan Heat defeated the Mount Royal University Cougars 3-0 on Saturday night in the UBC Okanagan gymnasium. With the win, UBC Okanagan lock up the first place spot in Canada West. Despite the loss, Mount Royal beat out Calgary for seventh place in the Canada West regular season, and with it the final berth in the Canada West playoffs.
Set scores: (25-18, 25-13, 25-18)
The Heat also had their annual Seniors Night on Saturday, recognizing the graduating student athletes who are leaving the team. Outside hitters Katelyn DeJong and Brianna Beamish, setter Chandler Proch, libero Kailin Jones, and middles Katy Klomps and Katie Wuttunee were honoured, as they are all finishing their fifth year of eligibility at UBC Okanagan. They constituted the Heat's starting line-up, along with fourth year outside hitter Megan Festival.
Chandler Proch was named the player of the match, the graduating setter had a match high 23 assists and led the Heat to hit as a team .250, Proch also spun an ace from the service line. Proch set up another graduating player, fifth year middle, Katie Wuttunee for 11 kills on just 15 swings, good for a .667 attack rate, Wuttunee added three blocks. Megan Festival and Brianna Beamish finished with nine and eight kills respectively, the graduating Beamish led the match with 14 digs.
Kate DeJong, another fifth year student athlete finished with four blocks, three kills, and six digs. Katy Klomps, also graduating, added four blocks, and fifth year libero Kailin Jones had 11 digs.
The lone graduate for the Cougars, setter Jenna Smith finished with 15 assists and four digs. Robyn Potolicki led MRU with nine kills and a .273 attack rate, Julia Kryzan attacked at a .800 clip, hitting on four of five kills, she also spun a service ace, in just one set of action.
UBC Okanagan won the first set 25-18. Katie Wuttunee led the Heat in the set, with seven kills (.857) and two total blocks. As a team the Heat had 15 kills (.273) in the opening frame, and Mount Royal had eight (.129). Middle Julia Kryzan led the Cougars offensively with four kills (.800) and a service ace.
UBC Okanagan took the second set 25-13. The Heat offence was led once again by Katie Wuttunee, who had three kills and two service aces in the set. The Heat had ten kills (.250) in the set, while the Cougars had seven (.000). Kylie Willis and Robyn Potolicki led the Mount Royal offence with two kills apiece in the second set.
UBC Okanagan won the third set 25-18.
As UBC Okanagan has now won the Canada West regular season championship, the Heat will play their next game on March 4, when they host the Canada West Final Four as the top seed. Mount Royal, having finished in seventh place in the Conference, will play their next match in the Canada West Quarter Finals on Friday, February 26. Their opponent has yet to be announced.