Thompson Rivers TRU 16-11,14-6

Saint Mary's SMU 15-11,10-10

Thompson Rivers TRU

16-11,14-6

Final

Mar. 14, 2026

Saint Mary's SMU

15-11,10-10

Set Scores
Team	1	2	3	4	5	F
Thompson Rivers TRU	17	16	25	25	12	(2)
Saint Mary's SMU	25	25	21	13	15	(3)

Game Recap: Women's Volleyball | 3/14/2026 4:26:00 PM | TRU WolfPack

WolfPack bow out of U SPORTS National Championship in consolation semifinal round to finish best season in program history

QUICK FIRE

A massive battle back that epitomized the best season in Thompson Rivers WolfPack women's volleyball history came up just shy Saturday afternoon as they fell 3-2 (25-17, 25-16, 21-25, 13-25, 15-12) to the Saint Mary's Huskies in a U SPORTS consolation semifinal.

DIFFERENCE MAKERS

Rida Erlalelitepe tallied a team-high 16 kills and a trio of service aces for the 'Pack. Keira Gent added another 13 kills from the outside with middle Maria Dancheva tallying nine kills and seven blocks. Faith Christensen was named the WolfPack player of the game after hitting 500 per cent with seven kills and three blocks.
Esther Wilderboer was the story for Saint Mary's, leading the way with 19 kills. Emilia Mikanovich (12 kills) and Alena Piatukhova (10) rounded out the top scorers for the Huskies.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The WolfPack struggled to get anything going early as the Huskies were dominant to start the match en route to back-to-back set victories of 25-17 and 25-16.
With the chance to advance to the U SPORTS consolation final on the line and their backs against the wall, TRU responded in a big way in the third. Christensen, playing in the final university game of her WolfPack career, alongside Gent and Erlalelitepe breathed life into the WolfPack attack with all three players scoring four kills in the third. Trailing by one at 19-18, the WolfPack ripped off an 8-2 run to win the set 25-21. During that run Erlalelitepe had a pair of service aces while Gent supplied two blocks as well as a pair of kills.
The WolfPack dominated the fourth to force a fifth and final set with Erlalelitepe scoring seven kills in the frame. TRU out-hit SMU .438 to .097 per cent while also putting down four blocks to the Huskies' zero as they rolled to a 25-13 victory.
Saint Mary's managed to pull out a fifth set that came right down to the wire. The WolfPack fell into an early hole down 7-4 and while plays from Myah Cressy, Christensen and Erlalelitepe pulled the 'Pack back even at 12-12, TRU was unable to take the lead in what was an eventual 15-12 defeat.

UP NEXT

The loss brings an end the best season in WolfPack women's volleyball history. TRU finished fourth in the Canada West conference with a program-best winning percentage of 70 per cent. They defeated the reigning national champion Manitoba Bisons in a first-ever Canada West home playoff series and also qualified for the U SPORTS National Championship for the first time ever.