ABBOTSFORD, B.C. — The U SPORTS No. 7-ranked UBCO Heat men's volleyball team (6-1) bested the UFV Cascades (0-7) in a four-set clash at the UFV Athletics Centre on Friday night, with set scores of 23-25, 25-21, 26-24, and 25-18. The Heat's formidable attack shone through with a .455 hitting percentage in the decisive fourth set.

Zach van Geel was a maestro with 42 assists, expertly directing the offence while adding eight digs and two total blocks. Xander van Driel topped the team with 17 kills on 31 attempts, boasting a hitting percentage of .452 and totaling 18 points. Thys Weststrate contributed 12 kills and was a force at the net with eight total blocks, rounding out his performance with 17.5 points. Seba Manuel chipped in 14 kills on 26 attempts and added four digs to his tally.

For the Cascades, Silas Van Huizen excelled with 34 assists while Roan McCarthy garnered 17.0 points with 14 kills and two service aces. 

The first set saw UBCO and UFV locked in a back-and-forth duel, ending with a slim 25-23 win for UFV. UBCO's offence, led by van Geel, put up a fight with assists leading to multiple kills from Manuel and Weststrate. However, UFV took advantage of UBCO's seven service errors, which were critical to the set's outcome. UFV's blocking, especially a key block by Hudson Brandsma and Tucker Cacic to close the set, clinched the win.

UBCO claimed the second set 25-21, thanks to cohesive teamwork and capitalizing on UFV's errors. Van Geel was instrumental with a series of assists, setting up crucial kills for Weststrate and Manuel. UBCO's defence stood firm with key blocks from Weststrate and van Driel, maintaining their lead despite UFV's determined efforts. The set ended with UBCO seizing on UFV's attack errors, securing a four-point margin victory.

UBCO edged out the third set 26-24, taking advantage of key UFV errors and significant plays from van Geel, who assisted on crucial kills. UBCO's blocking was decisive, with critical blocks contributing to points, including a vital block by Weststrate and Lucas Woelders at 15-14. Despite UFV tying the set at 24, UBCO finished with a kill and a service ace to take the set.

In the fourth set, the Heat capitalized on multiple UFV attack errors to secure a conclusive 25-18 victory. Van Geel's strategic playmaking was crucial, assisting on key kills, including three by van Driel and two by Weststrate. UBCO's defensive efforts were marked by blocks from Weststrate and Manuel, restricting UFV's scoring chances.

UBCO will face the Cascades again on Saturday, Nov. 15, at 4 p.m. in Abbotsford, B.C. Fans can catch the game live on CanadaWest.tv presented by BioSteel.

Game Notes:
- van Driel's 17 kills were his most in a match for the Heat.
- van Geel's 42 assists were his highest in a match this season.
- Weststrate's .625 hitting percentage ranks as the 9th highest in a 4-set match in team history.