Faith Christensen
Andrew Snucins
1
MRU Cougars MRU 8-12,8-12
3
Winner TRU WolfPack TRU 8-12,8-12
MRU Cougars MRU
8-12,8-12
1
Final
3
TRU WolfPack TRU
8-12,8-12
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 F
MRU Cougars MRU 16 25 23 25 (1)
TRU WolfPack TRU 25 23 25 27 (3)

Game Recap: Women's Volleyball | | TRU WolfPack

WolfPack punch ticket to playoffs with sweep over Cougars

QUICK FIRE
  • For the first time since the 2019-20 season the Thompson Rivers WolfPack women's volleyball team is headed to the Canada West postseason after they defeated the Mount Royal Cougars 3-1 (25-16, 23-25, 25-23, 27-25) inside the TCC Saturday evening.
  • The WolfPack's win combined with the last-place Regina Cougars shocking the Winnipeg Wesmen allowed TRU to leapfrog Winnipeg for the eighth and final playoff spot.
DIFFERENCE MAKERS
  • Brooklyn Olfert led the way with 15 kills on 40 attacks for the 'Pack, while Ema Palkovicova added 14 in the final game inside the TCC in her university career. Libby Meldrum added 31 assists in the contest.
  • Jessica Osczevski fired down 15 kills for the Cougars with Sydney Scatcherd adding 14.
HOW IT HAPPENED
  • After falling behind early, TRU roared back to take the first set. A 4-1 TRU run punctuated by an ace from Keira Gent saw the 'Pack take their first lead of the night at 16-14. The WolfPack kept their foot to the ground from there and a 9-1 run to end the set gave TRU the 25-16 victory. Gent led the 'Pack with four kills in the set.
  • The Cougars won a back-and-forth second set. MRU held a four-point lead at 20-16, before the 'Pack found their footing late. A kill from Addison Witkowski capped off a 3-0 TRU run to make things close at 20-19. TRU went on to tie the match at 22-22 but the Cougars responded with three quick kills to win 25-23.
  • The third set was decided by the slimmest of margins. With MRU holding a 21-20 lead the WolfPack went on a 4-1 run thanks to a couple Olfert kills to take set point at 24-22. After a wild rally that lasted nearly a minute it was once again Olfert with a kill that put the frame away at 25-23.
  • Once again it was TRU that found a way to win a close fourth set to take the match. Mount Royal had set point at 24-23 before a kill from Palkovicova and an ace from Gent gave TRU set point of their own at 25-24. The Cougars were able to fight that off but back-to-back attack errors from the visitors allowed the 'Pack to take the match on a block by Meldrum and Witkowski.
NOTABLE
  • Ending the season with a record of 10-14, the 'Pack are back in the playoffs for the first time in three seasons. The 10 wins they captured is just the sixth time that the program has reached double-digit wins since joining CW in 2005-06.
  • Brooklyn Olfert racked up 318 kills throughout the regular season, giving her the fifth-most in Canada West.
  • Libby Meldrum finished her 2023-24 campaign with 741 assists, the third-most of any player in the conference.
QUOTABLE - Head coach, Chad Grimm
  • "At some points we were a little flat, it's a long season and our level of play wasn't bad we were just struggling to find some rhythm. But we found that rhythm in some critical moments that got us to the finish line, we had some pushes and defensive stands when it was important so kudos to the girls for being able to take care of business not knowing that it could pay off with a spot in the playoffs.
  • "I'm really happy for the group, they've put in a tonne of work so I'm really happy that it has paid off with a result. We talk a lot about getting better every day and not worrying about the results but at the end of the day it's nice to get a result, it's nice for them to be in the playoffs and get a taste of that. They've been in some big matches but haven't been on that stage so I think with a young team it's important to get there and on any given day, anything can happy."
  • On the play of second-year setter Libby Meldrum. "She was kind of thrust into this role – not that I didn't think she was prepared for it – but it's a lot when you're basically a young quarterback with no release valve. There are times when everyone needs to take a break and she did not have that luxury so I'm really proud of how she handled that and just soldiers on. She's grown leaps and bounds."
 
UP NEXT
  • The WolfPack will now get set for their first playoff action since the 2019-20 season as they will head to Vancouver to take on the UBC Thunderbirds in a quarter-final best-of-three series next weekend.
Print Friendly Version