WINNIPEG, MAN. - The UBCO Heat fell to the Winnipeg Wesmen on Friday night in a four set battle, 26-28,11-25,25-20,22-25 at the Duckworth Centre in Winnipeg, MB.
Third year middle
Madison Gardner had a notable offensive performance with an attack percentage of .667, achieving 8 kills with no errors.
Amaya Perry contributed on the defensive side recording a team-high 18 digs across four sets. Perry also added two more serving aces to her already record breaking tally, further showcasing her all-around impact on the game.
The Heat narrowly fell to the Wesmen in the first set, with a final score of 28-26.
Olivia Boulding and
Amaya Perry each tallied three kills while
Madison Gardner and
Kylan Finseth contributed defensively with key blocks, helping keep the game competitive until the final points.
In the second set, the Heat struggled against the Wesmen, losing the set 25-11.
Madison Gardner and
Natalie Funk each recorded a kill for the Heat, but consistent blocks and kills from Winnipeg, particularly by Megan Kendziora and Brooke Duncalfe, kept the Heat from closing the gap.
In the third set, UBCO defeated the Wesmen 25-20, showcasing a strong team performance. The Heat capitalized on Winnipeg's errors, including a pivotal service ace by Perry to secure the set and force a fourth.
In the fourth set, UBCO fell short with a 25-22 loss. The team started strong, gaining an early 3-0 lead with a service ace from
Olivia Tymkiw and a block from
Natalie Funk. Despite also maintaining a lead of four points at 18-14, UBCO couldn't hold on as Winnipeg surged back with a series of kills from Brooke Duncalfe and Naomi Unger to secure the set.
The Heat's overall record now sits at 6-13 while the Wesmen will improve to 9-10 with the last game of the 2024-25 going down tomorrow night. The Heat's push for a playoff berth continues as they continue to fight to clinch one of the two remaining Canada West Playoff spots.
Tomorrow night the Heat will go again with the Winnipeg Wesmen for their final match of the 2024-25 regular season. First serve is set for 3:00 pm PST. Fans can catch the game live on CanadaWest.tv presented by BioSteel.