Brooklyn Olfert
2
Thompson Rivers University WolfPack TRU 10-3,10-3
3
Winner University of Alberta Pandas ALB 12-3,12-3
Thompson Rivers University WolfPack TRU
10-3,10-3
2
Final
3
University of Alberta Pandas ALB
12-3,12-3
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 5 F
Thompson Rivers University WolfPack TRU 22 25 25 18 13 (2)
University of Alberta Pandas ALB 25 21 19 25 15 (3)

Game Recap: Women's Volleyball | | TRU WolfPack with files from Golden Bears Communications

‘Pack push Pandas to five in tight affair

QUICK FIRE
  • It took five thrilling sets but the Thompson Rivers WolfPack women's volleyball came out on the wrong side of a match to remember in a 3-2 (25-22, 21-25, 19-25, 25-18, 15-13) loss to the Alberta Pandas in Edmonton.
DIFFERENCE MAKERS
  • The WolfPack's international duo of Maria Dancheva and Rida Erlalelitepe powered the way for TRU with 18 kills apiece. Brooklyn Olfert added 12 while Libby Meldrum directed the offence to the tune of 40 assists in the game.
  • Laila Johnson (14 kills), Abby Guezen (13) and Mackenzie Pool (11) led the Pandas offensively.
  • The WolfPack recorded 60 kills in the match to Alberta's 50.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
  • The first set saw the teams trading points throughout. A Faith Christensen solo block followed by back-to-back kills from Sasha Haldane and Olfert gave TRU the first real edge at 16-13. TRU couldn't hang onto that lead however as the Pandas claimed seven of the next nine points to lead 20-18. From there, the hosts were able to see out the set to take it 25-22.
  • The script flipped in the second, with the Pandas recording 12 combined attack, service, and receiving errors in a 25-21 loss. Erlalelitepe also took over the set, scoring six kills on just nine swings, to go along with three kills from each Olfert and Dancheva.
  • The WolfPack offence found another level in the third set, recording 14 kills on just 23 attempts, finishing with an astonishing .522 attack percentage. Erlalelitepe and Dancheva combined for eight of their 14 kills, with Christensen adding three. Alberta had their most efficient set in the third, but were unable to get TRU out of rotation from the service line, coughing up five serving errors in the set.
  • The Pandas serving returned to form in the fourth, which saw them record four aces and 15 kills in a quick and efficient set. Alberta committed just one attack error in the fourth, with Johnson, Guezen, and Pool combining for 12 kills and no errors.
  • The fifth was the closest of the match. Trailing 11-7, TRU ripped off the next four points to tie the match thanks to a pair of kills from Olfert. The teams traded points all the way to 13-13 before Alberta was able to just squeak out the victory.
NOTABLE
  • TRU moves to 10-4 on the season as they now sit fifth in the conference.
  • Dancheva's 18 kills were a new career-best mark in her young WolfPack career.
  • This was one of the top match ups in the nation this weekend with Alberta entering ranked No. 4 and TRU ranked No. 5.
 
QUOTABLE (WolfPack head coach, Chad Grimm)
  • "Overall it was a much more stable effort from our crew. We were more emotionally stable and that just allowed us to play our game."
  • "When you have two good teams it's going to come down to small margins and I think we can learn a couple things from some critical periods and learn to deal with that extra stress."
  • "It was a good match and it's nice to get that experience of close matches against good teams and we are going to have that for the rest of the year, so being in those situations as much as we can is a positive."
  • "Hopefully we can learn from those things and move on."
UP NEXT
  • The 'Pack will return to Kamloops before heading back on the road next weekend they take on the UBC Thunderbirds in Vancouver Jan. 31-Feb.1.
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