Box Score ABBOTSFORD, B.C. – Despite taking the opening set from the No. 1 team in the country, the UBC Okanagan Heat women's volleyball team fell in four sets (25-23, 22-25, 18-25, 24-26) to the Trinity Western Spartans in their opening game of Round 2 of the Canada West Playoffs Friday night.
In a highly entertaining match in front of a raucous crowd at the UFV Athletic Centre, the Spartans used a 5-1 run late in the fourth set, assisted by a net cord service ace on match point, to clinch the match and take the early advantage in Pool D.
"I thought we played okay," said head coach Steve Manuel after the match. "Far from our best volleyball. They're a good team, they play well, they played well when they had to. We got a bounce or two in a couple of sets, they got two or three bounces in more sets than we did and that was just the difference in the match."
Avery Heppell, a fourth-year middle from Langley, B.C., was a difference maker for Trinity Western as she finished with a game-high 12 kills to go along with 6 total blocks to record a game-high 18 points.
Her .375 hitting percentage helped the Spartans hit .183 percent as a team, outpacing the Heat who hit .115 percent in the contest.
Heat outside hitter Amaya Perry of Chin, Alta., paced the offensive attack for UBCO as she fired 10 kills in the match while rookie middle Natalie Funk of Strathmore, Alta., had one of her best games in a Heat uniform with five kills, nine digs and two total blocks.
The Heat got off to a strong start as they went back and forth with the Spartans in the opening set. Trailing 23-22 late in the set, UBCO went on a three-point run, capped by a massive double block from Madelyn Hettinga of Kelowna, B.C., and Jade Bussard of Red Deer, Alta., to put the underdog Heat up early.
Trinity Western responded in the second set as a quick three-point run midway through the frame gave the home team a lead they wouldn't relinquish as they tied the match at one set apiece.
UBCO started the third set strong as the team's rookie middles, Hettinga and Funk, sparked the Heat to an 8-6 advantage.
However, that was when Heppell took over for the Spartans. Her presence at the net, both in attack and blocking, put the Trinity Western on a five-point run as they ran away with the third set late.
In the fourth set, the Heat got back to their style of play from the opening set and the two teams went back and forth leading throughout. With UBCO up a pair late in the set, the Spartans found another level and closed out the match with an ace to move to within a win of the second round.
Up next for UBCO, they will take on the No. 5 Alberta Pandas in their final game of round two on Saturday, a game that will be a must-win for the Heat.
"I think we just really need to have that calm confidence that we had in that first set and fourth set," said senior setter Sara McCreary of Edmonton, on what the team will need to do to keep their season alive. "If we can bring that tomorrow, I have a good feeling about it."
Game time is set for 5 p.m. at the UFV Athletics Centre and the match can be seen live on CanadaWest.tv presented by Co-op.
