The UBC Okanagan Heat women91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s volleyball squad will close out the regular season this weekend at home, before turning its attention to the Canada West playoffs.
Steve Manuel91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s team will host the Grant MacEwan Griffins for a pair of matches, this Friday (6 p.m.) and Saturday (5 p.m.) at the Kelowna campus gym.
The Heat (13-9) heads into the final weekend tied for fifth spot in the conference with the Thompson Rivers Wolfpack (13-9). TRU will play in Saskatchewan.
Regardless of whether the Heat finishes fifth or sixth, they will be on the road March 3 and 4 for the Canada West quarterfinals, most likely against the Calgary Dinos or the UBC Thunderbirds.
The Heat are coming a split with the Wolfpack, opening the home-and-home set with a 3-1 win (25-19, 25-27, 25-18, 25-19) Thurday in Kamloops.
Siobhan Fitzpatrick led the way for the Heat with a match-high 13 kills and seven digs, while Kaitlynn Given had 11 kills and nine digs. Megan Festival had 15 digs along with six service aces.
On a side note, the win clinched the return of the President91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s Cup to the UBC Okanagan campus from TRU after a two-year absence.
The Cup is a year-long competition between the two schools in the three Canada West sports91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ”soccer, basketball, volleyball.
On Saturday in Kelowna, the Wolfpack turned the tables on the Heat with a 3-1 win (25-17, 25-14, 21-25, and 25-21)
Fitzpatrick again led the Heat attack with 14 kills. Aidan Lea had 10 kills, while Fitpatrick and Festival each had two service aces.
