LANGLEY, B.C. – The UBC Okanagan Heat men's volleyball team earned their biggest win of the young season on Saturday evening, upsetting the U SPORTS No. 4-ranked Trinity Western Spartans in four sets (25-22, 26-28, 26-24, 25-20) at the Langley Events Centre.
In a cagey battle between two of the top teams in the conference, it was the Heat's performance late in sets that helped them earn the victory. UBCO put together significant runs at the conclusion of the first three sets, ultimately staking them to a 2-1 lead, before using that momentum to run away with the fourth set to earn just their second-ever win against the traditional conference powerhouse.
Third-year outside hitter
Seba Manuel of Kelowna, B.C., led the offensive attack for the Heat, finishing with a team-best 12 kills, while adding four assisted blocks and five digs for a 14-point night.
The story of the match for the Heat may have been the play of rookie middle
James Helfrick of Coldstream, B.C. In just his fourth-ever Canada West match, Helfrick posted the second-most block assists in a single game in team history, registering nine to go along with six kills and a service ace for 12.5 points.
Fellow middle
Ashton South of Calgary would add seven kills while outside hitter
Lucas Woelders, playing in his hometown, had eight kills and seven digs.
In the opening set, the two teams traded runs and sat tied at 22 late in the frame. The Heat would go on to score the next three points, thanks to a pair of Spartans errors and finished off by a Woelders kill, as UBCO won the opening set for the second straight night.
The second set saw the Heat continually rally after they fell behind. Down 24-21, UBCO won three straight points to extend the frame. The two teams would trade side outs before two consecutive points from the Spartans evened the match at one.
Trinity Western appeared poised to win the third set after they went up 23-19. But once again, it was the resiliency of the Heat that came to the forefront. UBCO went on a 7-1 run to close the frame, highlighted by a pair of aces from
Zach van Geel of Calgary, to claim the third.
With momentum firmly on their side, the Heat stormed out to a 12-5 lead in the fourth set, with Manuel contributing a pair of early kills, and UBCO wouldn't look back en route to the victory.
The victory pushes the Heat's record to 4-2 as they now sit in fourth place in the conference, one game behind the Spartans who drop to 5-3.
UBCO will now return to home court for a weekend doubleheader against the UFV Cascades (2-6). The first game will go on Friday evening, November 22, at 5 p.m. and tickets can be purchased at the door on game day.
