WINNIPEG - The UBC Okanagan Heat women's volleyball team saw their playoff run come to a close on Saturday as they fell in four sets (25-23, 12-25, 12-25, 14-25) to the U SPORTS No. 3-ranked Manitoba Bisons in game two of their Canada West quarter-final series.
Led by senior hitter Hellen Lacaca of Mandaguari, Brazil, UBCO came flying out of the gates, eager to claim retribution for yesterday's three-set defeat. Lacava, showing her veteran's experience, recorded six kills and six digs as her underdog squad captured the opening frame. As a team, the Heat denied the Bisons' attack in the opening frame to just 11 kills, pulling 28 digs off the floor.
Keeping the Bisons afloat in the set was Winnipeg's Julia Arnold who chalked up 10 of her game-high 18 digs in the first stanza alone.
Tied at 10 in the second, the Bisons flipped the switch, going on a commanding 15-2 scoring run, hitting an impressive .528 percent in the set to tie the match at ones.
With momentum at their backs, Manitoba showed off their depth of weaponry in a decisive third set win. Andi Almonte, of Winnipeg, poured on four kills in quick succession as Surrey, B.C.'s Ella Gray capped off the frame with three consecutive aces.
In the fourth, the Bisons got back to the defense prowess with five blocks, four coming from Winnipeg's Katreena Bentley, who totaled six in the game setting a new career-high. Brenna Bodosky of Winnipeg also chipped in six blocks of her own and Eve Catajo, another Winnipeg product had five as part of Manitoba's team total of 13.
Leading UBCO in blocks was
Korey Jenkins from Calgary, with three as the visitors also got strong defensive outings from both their liberos, in Lake Country, B.C.'s
Tessa Ivans and Kelowna, B.C.'s
Sarah Hall. The Heat's backcourt defenders would team up for 20 digs, 11 from Ivans and 9 from Hall.
Joining Lacava with double-digit point performances for the Heat were a pair of North Okanagan products in Coldstream, B.C.'s
Olivia Tymkiw, and Vernon, B.C.'s
Madison Gardner. Tymkiw earned eight kills with two aces while Gardner added nine with three blocks.
Abigail Dueck playing in her hometown of Winnipeg, Man. dawned the blue-white-and-gold for the final time graduating alongside Lacava and Hall. Leaving the program second all-time in assists, Dueck added 29 helpers in the match.
"I've been happy with my team all year. They've been never say die even when things aren't going well," said Heat head coach
Steve Manuel after the match.
"We knew we were in for a battle. We play a similar style to the Bisons, tenacious and scrappy, they were just a little bit better at it than we were this weekend. We just weren't able to keep the pressure on straight through. I was really happy with how we played today. We could have tucked tail and gone home early but we came out to battle that whole first set and throughout the match."
TOP PERFOMERS
Hellen Lacava - UBCO Heat
The fifth-year left in all on the court in her final Canada West appearance with a team-high 10 kills and 10 digs, rounding out the double-double with two aces. Lacava leaves the program with 93 matches played across both regular and post season play over four successful seasons.
Ella Gray - Manitoba Bisons
Gray's near perfection from the service line allowed her Bisons to keep the momentum rolling throughout the match. Tying her career-best mark with six aces, Gray also recorded 12 kills, six digs and a block as part of her 19.0 point outing.
