KELOWNA, B.C. - The UBC Okanagan Heat ensured they gave their lone graduating senior, Aaron Voth, a victory in his final regular season home game on Saturday as they held off the Mount Royal Cougars in five sets (20-25, 25-21, 25-21, 24-26, 15-11) at the UBCO Gymnasium.

For the second straight night, Zach Van Geel was at his very best, recording a season-high 43 assists, showcasing his play-making abilities over five games to lead the Heat to victory. Lucas Woelders also produced his best game of the season, firing a season-high 15 kills while Thys Weststrate had another big night with 15.5 points and 7 total blocks. 

The first set of the match between UBCO and Mount Royal saw several shifts in momentum. Mount Royal gained an early advantage with a 3-0 run, including a kill by Ryan John which extended their lead to 4-2. UBCO attempted to close the gap with multiple kills by Ashton South and Weststrate, but Mount Royal maintained their lead through consistent offensive plays, including a decisive kill by Jovan Stepanovic which helped the visitors claim the opening set.

In the second set, the Heat started strong with van Geel delivering multiple assists, allowing South and Woelders to secure kills to give them an early 8-4 lead. van Geel would remain in the heart of the action, securing an ace to extend UBCO's lead to six at 12-6. The Cougars attempted a comeback with a late surge, including two service aces by Stepanovic, narrowing the gap to 24-21. However, a service error from Stepanovic ended Mount Royal's efforts, and the Heat took the set 25-21.

The third set saw UBCO pull ahead midway through the set with a series of successful plays, including a kill by Manuel at 9-7 and another by Lucas Woelders at 11-8. Despite a timeout called by Mount Royal at 12-8, UBCO maintained their lead, ultimately securing the set with a final kill by Weststrate to close at 25-21.

The fourth set saw UBCO jump out to a 9-5 lead after a kill from van Geel and an error from Stepanovic. However, Mount Royal surged back, tying the game at 17-17 following a service ace by Cody Hudson. The set remained tightly contested, with Mount Royal ultimately securing a 26-24 victory after a decisive block by Isaac Karstand.

The fifth set was close early on until the Heat went on a 6-0 run highlighted by kills from Sam Jablonski and Woelders. Mount Royal called a timeout at this point, but UBCO maintained their advantage, with van Geel securing the final point on a kill, concluding the set at 15-11 in favor of the Heat.

The win was a big one for the Heat as they improve to 9-7 on the season, one game back of the Trinity Western Spartans for fifth-place in the conference. It also moved the Heat to within a game of securing their third-ever Canada West playoff berth. As for Mount Royal, they now sit in 11th in the conference standings at 4-10.

Winners of three straight games, the Heat will look to keep their win-streak in tact when they head to Saskatoon next weekend to face the nationally-ranked Saskatchewan Huskies. The first game of the weekend doubleheader is set for Friday, January 31 at 5 p.m. Pacific and fans can catch the action live on CanadaWest.tv presented by BioSteel.