SASKATOON, Sask. - The UBC Okanagan Heat women's volleyball team rallied from two sets down on Friday night to force a fifth set but were unable to complete the comeback as they fell 3-2 to the Saskatchewan Huskies.

Olivia Boulding was a standout for the Heat, leading with 20 points over five games. She accumulated 18 kills and contributed defensively with 11 digs. Kylan Finseth was pivotal in setting, recording 38 assists while also adding 14 digs. Amaya Perry also made significant contributions, amassing 15.5 points with 13 kills and 13 digs, playing a crucial role in both offensive and defensive plays. With two aces tonight, Perry is now alone in 5th place in Canada West history for career aces with 157, passing former Heat Emily Oxland and Trinity Western's Sophie Carpentier.

The Huskies featured standout performances from several key players. Taryn Hannah led the team in points with 20, contributing 17 kills and 13 digs over five games. Jessica Bergstrom was a strong presence at the net, recording five total blocks across her matches. Keely Anderson was notable for her defensive efforts, amassing 15 digs and six total blocks. 

In the opening set, UBCO started strong with a service ace from Amaya Perry, but the Huskies quickly tied the score 1-1. The teams traded points with notable performances from Olivia Boulding, who secured multiple kills, and Taryn Hannah, who contributed with key kills and blocks. The score remained close until Saskatchewan gained momentum with a service ace from Tielle Hagel. Despite the Heat's efforts to keep the match tight, the Huskies closed the set with a 25-20 victory, assisted by a final service ace from Rosetta Cyr.

The second set began with UBCO taking an early lead, with Amaya Perry delivering a kill at the start. A significant turning point occurred when Saskatchewan built a 7-3 advantage, aided by a service ace by Jessica Bergstrom. UBCO called a timeout at 10-7, which led to a brief resurgence featuring a service ace by Kylan Finseth, leveling the score at 11-11. Despite a late rally that included a kill by Olivia Boulding, Saskatchewan maintained their lead and closed the set with a 25-22 victory, sealing it with a kill by Taryn Hannah.

UBCO started the third set strong with a 2-0 lead after attack errors by Saskatchewan players Julia Howell Bourner and Keely Anderson. Saskatchewan then managed to tie the game at 3-3 with a service ace from Keely Anderson. The Heat's Amaya Perry played a pivotal role, contributing significantly to a run that saw her team stretch its lead to 12-7, prompting a timeout by Saskatchewan. Despite the Huskies' attempts to close the gap, including a service ace by Taryn Hannah to tie the game at 12-12, UBCO maintained their momentum, with key plays from Natalie Funk and Amaya Perry, to secure the set with a final score of 25-21.

The fourth set featured a competitive back-and-forth exchange. The Heat started strong with an early lead, highlighted by Olivia Boulding's kill and a block by Marija Josipovic and Kirsten Hill, taking a 2-0 lead. Making her Heat debut, Ali Rathlef, the first-year middle, knocked down her first kill for the Heat during this set. Saskatchewan responded with a series of kills from Taryn Hannah and Rosetta Cyr, leveling the score at 6-6. The game remained tight, with both teams exchanging points and errors until the Heat pulled ahead 21-17 after a kill from Natalie Funk. Despite a late push by Saskatchewan, including a service ace by Keely Anderson, UBCO secured the set with a final kill by Olivia Boulding, winning 27-25.

In the fifth set, the Huskies gained early momentum with a strong start, scoring the first five points, including two kills by Julia Howell Bourner and a kill by Taryn Hannah. The Heat responded after a timeout with Olivia Boulding's kill, narrowing the score to 5-2. Despite efforts from UBCO, including a kill by Natalie Funk and a block from Kylan Finseth and Funk, Saskatchewan maintained their lead. Julia Howell Bourner contributed significantly to Saskatchewan's success with multiple kills and a service ace, leading to a final score of 15-7 for the set.

With the win, the Huskies improve to 9-8 on the season while the Heat fall back to 4-11.

These two teams will close out their weekend doubleheader on Saturday afternoon, February 1, at 2:30 p.m. Pacific. Fans can catch the game live on CanadaWest.tv presented by BioSteel.