By Larry Read

TRU Sports Information Officer

KAMLOOPS, BC—The Thompson Rivers University knew that they were going to have a tough test against the second place team in the Canada West Women's volleyball league.  And their match Friday (Jan 26) was.  The WolfPack battled hard, especially in the second set but fell 3-0 to the visiting University of Calgary Dinos.  The scores were 25-18,28-26,25-20.

TRU was led offensively by Rachel Windhorst (4^th year, outside hitter, Surrey, BC) with 16 kills.

 SYNOPSIS

The Dinos got out to a lead but saw the WolfPack battle back to within three points in the first set. But Calgary managed to get to the first technical time out first (16-11).  Backed by four kills from Laura McManes (5^th year, outside hitter, Winnipeg, MB), they took the first set by six (25-19).

In the second set, the Dinos got off to a 13-8 lead until Windhorst served up three straight points en route to the Pack tying things up at 13. That forced the Dinos to call a time out.  The team's battled point for point until the Dinos reached the tech time out leading 16-15.   Two attack errors by Calgary resulted in TRU taking a 20-19 lead.  Calgary scored four of the final six points and won the second set (28-26). Kate Pexman (3^rd year, outside hitter, Calgary, AB) had five kills to lead the Dinos.  Windhorst had seven kills for the 'Pack in that set.

The WolfPack didn't want to go down without a fight. In the third set, they jumped to a 9-6 advantage. But Calgary bounced back. With the score 11-10, Dinos, TRU head coach Chad Grimm called a time out. The Pack scored fourth straight points but found themselves on the short end of a 16-15 decision going into the technical time out.  The Dinos won the third set 25-20.

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS: 

click here

KEY STATS:

Scores by set:

TRU           19  26   20   ---0

Calgary     25  28   25    --3

TRU:

Rachel Windhorst (4^th year,outside hitter, Surrey, BC): 16 kills in 34 swings, 2 service aces, 9 digs

Mikayla Funk (2^nd year, outside hitter, South Surrey, BC) 9 kills in 12 attempts, 4 digs, 1 service ace, 2 assists

Yevgeniya Nyukhalova (1^st year, outside hitter, Severodontsk, Ukraine) 5 kills in 20 chances, 4 digs

Anastasia Muzyka (1^st year, setter, Poltawa, Ukraine) 29 assists, 9 digs

Kendra Finch (3^rd year outside hitter, North Van, BC) 3 kills in 17 chances, 4 assists, 2 service aces

Hali Drezet (2^nd year, libero, Prince George, BC) 1 dig

Calgary:

Kate Pexman: 12 kills in 25 opportunities,5 digs, 1 solo block, 1 block assist

Beth Vinnell: 9 kills in 10 chances, 7 digs, 2 assists, 1 solo block, 1 block assist

Leah Shevkenek: 27 assists, 4 digs, 1 solo block, 3 block assists

Jaylynn Moffatt: 6 kills in 15 attempts, 7 block ass9sts, 2 solo blocks

RECORDS:

TRU:  7-12    Calgary:  14-3

QUOTES:

TRU head coach Chad Grimm:

On Match: "I thought in the second set we played quite well to be honest.  It is a good team over there. We just gave them too many free points in the first set. We couldn't find our distance on our serve. Once we locked that in we put them out of system. That is to our advantage, because when they are in they are in system with their middles that makes it difficult for us. That was the difference in the third set."

On who played well:  " I thought Mikayla had a great night. I wish we could have got her the ball a bit more. I thought Rachel played well. Ana did a good job of forcing some things and making some sets that we don't usually make. That was nice. Overall, I thought we passed the ball OK. Kendra did a good job with receiption.  Hali was more solid tonight. That is a positive as well. If we want to beat a team like Calgary we have  to make fewer errors and put them out of system a little more."

COACHES POST GAME VIDEO INTERVIEW:  click here

Calgary assistant coach Al Taylor:

On match: "It was a struggle for both teams for quite some time. It finally settled down. We just kept going and were lucky to get the win."

On play of the middles:  " Both our middles—one is a fifth year and the other is a third year. We were lucky to have good passing tonight so that allowed us to use both of them.

COACHES POST GAME VIDEO INTERVIEW:  click here

UP NEXT:

The two teams will go at it again Saturday (Jan 27) night at the Tournament Capital Centre.  Match time will be 5 pm.

The WolfPack have next weekend (Feb 2-3) off on a bye.  Calgary will return home to the Jack Simpson Gym to play host to the Trinity Western University Spartans.

All of those matches will be webcast on a pay-per-view basis on www.Canadawesttv.com.

OF NOTE:    This match was sponsored by B100 Radio in Kamloops, BC and was also # I Believe awareness night.  This initiative was spearheaded by the WolfPack women's volleyball team and included a public service announcement which was shown on the webcast and various messages read out during the match.

The "TRU Bookstore/McDonalds Leader of the Pack Player of the Match" was: Funk.

Taylor is coaching the Dinos by himself this weekend as head coach Natalie Gurnsey is expecting a baby and couldn't fly.

The WolfPack could have had a USPORTS/Canada West first as they had a husband/wife duo commentating on their Canada West webcast. Former player Katie Woo and her husband James Matthews did the color and play by play.