Box Score SASKATOON - The UBC Okanagan Heat women's volleyball team stormed back from a 2-0 set deficit against the No. 5-ranked Mount Royal Cougars on Thursday night before ultimately falling in five sets (21-25, 24-26, 25-23, 27-25, 10-15) as they opened up the first round of the Canada West playoffs at the Physical Activity Complex.
Jade Bussard, an outside hitter from Red Deer, Alta., led the way for the Heat as she scored 21 kills, three service aces, eight digs and a block for the Heat scoring a team high 24.5 points. Just trailing behind Bussard, Sydney Grills from Vancouver B.C., scored 20.5 points, recording 20 kills, three digs, a block and a service ace.
The performances by Bussard and Grills marked the first time two Heat players had both recorded 20-plus kills in a single match.
On the opposite side of the net, Madison Marshall from Brooks, Alta., led the Cougars attack contributing 19 kills, on a .400 hitting percentage, along with eight digs.
It was a close match throught the five sets and in the opening frame, it was the Cougars who got off to a quick start. However, the Heat rallied back to make it close as Grills recorded four kills despite the Cougars' early lead. But Marshall was there to close out the opening fram as she nailed down the set point for Mount Royal as well as four other kills throughout the set to give her team the early lead.
The second set was close throughout and this time it was Bussard who kept the Heat close, at one point scoring five kills in a nine-point span. But again, the Cougars showed their poise as they held on late to grab a two set lead over UBCO.
A back-and-forth win in set three for UBCO forced an opportunity for what was a miraculous comeback from the Heat in the fourth set. After trailing 21-14, then 23-19, UBCO was able to battle back. A Mount Royal out of rotation forced 24-24 to tie it up, then a pair of kills from Amaya Perry of Chin, Alta., and Bussard, and ultimately a Nataliia Klimenova service error forced a fifth set.
But Mount Royal was able to weather the storm and escape in the fifth and record the win.
"Our team played great," said Heat head coach Steve Manuel after the loss. "I thought we had chances to win all five sets and we let them off the hook a bunch of times. They're a great team and you can't really afford to do that."
The Heat (0-1) will now head into Friday facing a must-win game against the No. 6-ranked Saskatchewan Huskies (1-0) if they are to keep their hopes alive of advancing to the second round.
"We've played six matches in nine days and now we're back here again — we're used to it. We'll be fine," said Manuel. "We'll prep for tomorrow. We'll come out and battle again and see what happens."
The game against the Huskies is set for 4 p.m. PT and can be seen live on CanadaWest.tv presented by Co-op.
