Box Score ABBOTSFORD, B.C. – The UBC Okanagan Heat women's volleyball team saw their season come to an end on Saturday evening as they lost in straight sets (19-25, 22-25, 21-25) to the No. 5-ranked Alberta Pandas at the UFV Athletic Centre.
The Heat, who were playing their 11th match in 22 days, were unable to keep pace with the Pandas as the top team in the Canada West Central division hit .243 percent in the contest compared to UBCO who were only able to connect on .136 percent of their attacks.
"Alberta played really well, they executed very well," said Heat head coach Steve Manuel after the match. "Our exhausted team put everything they had out there but just didn't quite have enough to be able to get it done."
The Pandas were led by Canada West First Team All-Star outside hitter Kory White of Edmonton. White, a fifth-year senior, recorded a game-high 15 kills along with seven digs as she hit .344 percent. Her efforts were supported by fifth-year middle Vanessa Jarman of Edmonton, who had eight kills and three blocks for 10.5 points.
The Heat had a big performance from rookie middle Natalie Funk of Strathmore, Alta. Funk had four kills on seven attempts with no errors, as she hit .571 percent, while adding three total blocks, two aces and three digs to take home Player of the Game honours for UBCO.
Amaya Perry of Chin, Alta., added a team-high eight kills, two aces and three total blocks en route to a team-best 13 points.
UBCO, who were playing their second game in two nights, got off to a slow start as the Pandas jumped out to an 6-2 lead in the opening set and never looked back as they took the early advantage in the match.
The second set was a different story as the Heat upped their level of play and took the lead midway through the set off a kill from Jade Bussard of Red Deer, Alta. The Heat and Pandas would go point-for-point until late in the set when tied at 21, Alberta went on a 4-1 run to close the set in their favour and put the Heat down two sets.
The Heat refused to go quietly as they continued to battle in the third set. They held a slight edge for much of the set and when a Funk kill put them up 19-18, UBCO appeared poised to extend the match. But like the second set, the Heat couldn't find a way to close out the set and Alberta seven of the next nine points to send the Pandas to the Canada West Final Four.
The loss meant that two UBCO graduating seniors Sara McCreary of Edmonton, and Sadie Taylor-Parks of Kelowna, B.C., suited up for the final time as members of the Heat. McCreary registered 10 assists and six digs in her last game with the Heat while Taylor-Parks had one kill off the bench.
In addition, Mackenzie Wallace of Lake Country, B.C., who missed the season due to injury, was on the bench for one final time.
"Both Sadie and Kenzie, having played with our junior heat program, they've been members of our team for eight or nine years now so we're really going to miss them," said Manuel on the loss of the two local products from his program. "They've put everything into it. I mean, Sadie went out there, doing all that she can on the floor and getting her team amped up to play and making key plays all the time."
"Sara McCreary is an all-star in this league and she's battled injury and to come back and to see her be able to finish her career on the floor here, I won't lie, I had a tear in my eye," added Manuel on the team's senior setter. "You can never replace athletes like that. We're super proud of them and really happy that they're graduating with the degrees that they wanted and they'll always be part of the program."
