KELOWNA, B.C. - In an intense afternoon matchup at the UBCO Gymnasium, the UBC Okanagan Heat men's volleyball team and Calgary Dinos went shot for shot over four exciting sets with the visiting Dinos eventually coming out on top 23-25, 22-25, 30-28 and 36-38.
Following a three-set loss last night, the Heat were hungry for action and proved to be a tough force to beat. In the first two sets of the match, they kept the Dinos on their toes keeping scoring close, but it just wasn't enough as the Dinos claimed the opening two frames.
Zach van Geel swapped his assists for kills in this matchup, playing the position of outside hitter. The Calgary native put down 23 kills, shattering his previous record and being the first Heat men's volleyball athlete to record 23 kills in a four-set match since 2017.
The third set of the match was when career-highs were achieved and the home team took the set victory. Cade Hudson, a third-year setter from Burnaby, B.C., had a remarkable match against the Dinos, setting multiple career highs. An active force at the net, Hudson more than doubled his previous single-game high for assists, putting up 51, the third-most in a four-set match in team history, and the most in a four-set match since 2013, while also playing strong defence alongside Ashton South (Calgary) and Teo Ardanaz(Tsawwassen, B.C.), with each player finishing with five blocks on the afternoon. Â
In a battle beyond the 25-point threshold, the Heat took the third set thanks to a Dinos' error sandwiched by two big kills from second-year outside hitter
Seba Manuel of Kelowna, B.C.
Taking the momentum from the third-set victory, UBCO hit the ground running in the fourth set, securing an early lead over the Dinos, who would eventually keep pace. The two teams went well past 25 points in the frame, with each team having multiple opportunities to win the set, before the Dinos ran off three straight points to take the set and the match.
TOP PERFORMERS
Zach van Geel - UBCO Heat
The third-year setter, playing at outside hitter on Sunday, finished the game with a career-high 23 kills, the most kills by a Heat player in a four-set match since 2017, while also recording 12 digs to take home player of the game honours.
Jackson Meier - Calgary Dinos
The fourth-year middle from Calgary put down 11 kills while hitting .500 while adding six blocks for a 14-point afternoon.
WHERE THEY STAND
The loss sets the Heat back to 1-15 on the season while the Dinos improve to 7-9 as they move a game and a half back of Trinity Western for the final playoff spot.
UP NEXT
The Heat men's volleyball team is on the road next weekend as they travel to Kamloops, B.C. to face the Thompson Rivers WolfPack in the final weekend of this year's Presidents' Cup battle. Their first game is on Friday, January 19th with first serve set for 7:15 p.m. Fans can catch the action live on CanadaWest.tv.
