The Thompson Rivers University WolfPack women's volleyball team will face a litmus test this weekend.
Second place in the Canada West standings is at stake as the WolfPack will hit the road and head to Calgary, Alberta. Thompson Rivers will meet up with the Mount Royal Cougars in a battle of two of the top three teams in the league.
Both teams enter the weekend with 12 wins this season. The Cougars have two matches in hand over Thompson Rivers.
Match times are 8 PM MDT on Friday (Jan 17) and 7 PM MDT on Saturday (Jan 18).
RECORDS OF NOTE:
The WolfPack and the Cougars enter the weekend with 12 wins. Mount Royal is 12-2 while Thompson Rivers is 12-4. Thompson Rivers has a better sets won/loss record that Mount Royal. The Pack are 41-19 while the Cougars stand at 38-13.
The WolfPack are 4-1 in their last five matches while Mount Royal is 3-2.
The Cougars are 5-1 at home this season. Thompson Rivers is 5-3 on the road.
WHAT HAPPENED LAST TIME BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES:
Last season, the teams met at the TCC where the WolfPack won both the matches which went five sets each night. On January 11, 2019 the scores were 25-21,18-25,10=25,25-22,15-13.
Olga Savenchuk had 16 kills in 38 swings with 13 digs.
Kendra Finch added 15 kills in 60 chances and 18 digs while
Anastasiia Muzyka had 40 assists. Mount Royal was led by Cassidy Kitchen (4
th year, outside hitter, Terrace, BC) with 13 kills in 47 chances and 16 digs. Carly Davis and Chantal Park each had 10 kills while Quinn Pelland had 37 assists and 15 digs.
The following night (Jan 12, 2019), the scores in TRU's favor were 27-25,22-25,25-15,25-23,15-9. Savenchuk was the top offensive threat for Thompson Rivers as she had 24 kills in 60 chances with 13 kills. Finch contributed 14 kills in 56 opportunities and 19 digs.
Avery Pottle was 12 for 23 and Muzyka had 53 assists with 13 digs. Mount Royal was led by Kitchen with 17 kills in 47 chances and 11 digs. Davies had 16 kills in 41 swings and 20 digs. Park contributed 10 kills in 40 chances and Pelland chimed in with 45 assists and 13 digs.
The two teams met last at Mount Royal on January 5 and 6
th, 2018 where the teams split. The Cougars won the first night 3-1 (25-19,25-21,16-25,25-17). TRU took the second 3-1 (19=25,29-27,25-16,25-20).
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
TRU:
Kendra Finch (5
th year, outside hitter, North Vancouver, BC): third in Canada West in kills per set (3:42) and kills (205) and fifth in the league in digs (189)
Olga Savenchuk (2
nd year, outside hitter, Donetsk, Ukraine): second on the team with 154 kills and total blocks with 38.
Ksenya Kocyigit (2
nd year, middle, Byaroza, Belarous): leads the team with 23 service aces and 67 total blocks (54 of them being block assists). She is third in kills with 117.
Anastasiia Muzyka (3
rd year, setter, Poltawa, Ukraine): leads the team with 376 assists and is second in service aces with 21.
Avery Pottle (4
th year, middle, Uxbridge, ON): third on the Pack in total blocks 36 (28 assists).
Mount Royal:
Nyadholi Thokbuom (2
nd year, middle, Calgary, AB): fourth in Canada West in hitting percentage (.341) and blocks per set (1.20). Currently holding the season high in blocks in a single game (11-1-solo, 10 assists in a four set match vs UBCO on Nov 9, 2019)
Quinn Pelland (3
rd year, setter, Wanham, AB): second in Canada West in assists per set (9.45)
Carly Davies (4
th year, right side, Terrace, BC):second on team in service aces with 20
Chantel Park (5
th year, outside hitter, Blackfalds, AB): leads Cougars in kills with 133 and service aces with 39. Currently holding the league single match record for aces (8 in a three set match vs UBC on Nov 2, 2019).
COMMENTS OF WOLFPACK COACH CHAD GRIMM:
https://twitter.com/GoTRUWolfPack/status/1217626172181204992
COMMENTS OF WOLFPACK SETTER ABBY SPRATT (4TH YEAR, CALGARY, AB):
https://twitter.com/GoTRUWolfPack/status/1217626099066101760
This weekend's matches can been seen on a pay per view basis on Canada West TV presented by Co-op by accessing:
https://cw.yaretv.com/. Results will be available on the WolfPack social media platforms and their website
www.goWolfPack.ca.
The WolfPack are back home next weekend (Jan 24-25) when they entertain the University of British Columbia Okanagan Heat at the Tournament Capital Centre.
