KAMLOOPS – Three different players hit double-digits in kills to help the Thompson Rivers WolfPack men's volleyball team to a 3-1 (23-25, 25-19, 25-21, 25-20) victory over the Fraser Valley Cascades Saturday.
 
Thundersky Walkingbear (11), Rylan Ibbetson (11) and Sam Flowerday (10) were the focal point of a WolfPack offence that also saw solid contributions from Corbin Ockerman and Matthew Hamilton. Sam Elgert put up 42 assists, his second-highest total in a four set game this season.
 
After the Cascades took the first set, TRU rebounded and controlled the remainder of the match.
 
"We got dialled into the game. We've been rusty in the first set throughout the season, so it took us a bit to get acclimated to the game," said second-year outside hitter Matthew Hamilton. "As it went on our confidence grew and we just worked together as a team to get the job done."
 
Fraser Valley came out the stronger of the two teams in the game. The Cascades put together four blocks in the opening set – three courtesy of Tyson Ardell – as the visitors were able to pull out the 25-23 set victory thanks to a kill from Ryan Adams. A bright spot in the opening set for TRU was Hamilton who compiled four kills in the frame.
 
After the teams traded points to start the second set, Riley Brinnen and Walkingbear combined for a pair of blocks to send TRU out to a 9-6 lead. From there the set belonged to TRU. The 'Pack stretched the lead all the way to 19-14 and while UFV attempted to rally late Ibbetson put the set away with a kill to even the match at 1-1.
 
Things remained much closer in the third set. The two teams were tied at 17-17 before Walkingbear took over. Three kills and a service ace from the product of Thunderchild First Nation, gave TRU a four point lead that they wouldn't surrender en route to the set victory.
 
The WolfPack were able to put the game away in the fourth set.
 
After the teams traded points to 18-18, Walkingbear went on a massive serving run that included an ace and a pair of kills from Flowerday to put the 'Pack in front 22-18. From there TRU was able to ride out the remainder of the game and make it two wins in as many nights.
 
The victory moves TRU back to 8-8 on the season and momentarily jumps them up to seventh in the conference. With some challenging weekends ahead on their schedule, securing the two victories over the 4-14 Cascades was important for TRU.
 
"The sweep takes a little bit of stress off for the rest of our season," said Hamilton. "We play a few hard teams like Alberta, Trinity and UBC so we just have a little less pressure going into that stretch of the season."