Even with a pair of losses tacked on to their record, head coach Steve Manuel had no qualms with the effort delivered by his UBC Okanagan Heat ·É´Ç³¾±ð²Ô91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s volleyball squad.
In two matches Manuel believed could have swung either way, the No. 3 Trinity Western Spartans prevailed on both nights against the hometown and ninth-ranked Heat in Canada West action.
91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵÀá91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™m proud of how the team ±è±ô²¹²â±ð»å,91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ said Manuel. 91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵœA bounce here or there either night, and the results could have been different.
91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵœW³ó¾±±ô±ð we had five new starters on the floor, (Trinity) is a team with most of their veterans returning. °Õ³ó±ð²â91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™v±ð been CIS national finalists the last two years, so to be right there with them all the way was good to see.
91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵœT³ó±ð°ù±ð ·É²¹²õ²Ô91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™t much to choose between ³Ü²õ.91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ
On Friday, in a battle to the finish, the Spartans escaped with a gripping91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ”12-25, 25-18, 25-21, 23-25, and 22-20. It was the seventh straight time the two Canada West rivals had gone to the limit.
Trinity °Â±ð²õ³Ù±ð°ù²Ô91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s Sophie Carpentier and Elizabeth Wendel led all hitters in the match with 19 kills apiece.
Siobhan Fitzpatrick led the Heat attack with 16 kills. Kaitlynn Given and Michelle Jakszuk each finished with 15, and Given added 22 digs.
On Saturday, TWU took down the Heat 25-21, 19-25, 25-23, and 25-16.
The Heat finished the match with more kills (54-49), but the Spartans delivered them more consistently. Hitting percentages were .235 to .210 in favour of the visitors, while UBCO committed 25 attacking errors to °Õ°ù¾±²Ô¾±³Ù²â91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s 18.
Carpentier once again led the Spartan attack, putting up a match-high 22 kills.
For the Heat, Given, Jakszuk and Fitzpatrick finished with 16, 15 and 14 kills, respectively. Megan Festival, having recently been switched to the libero position, led UBCO with 17 digs.
Manuel and the Heat have been challenged the last couple of weekends by the absence of veteran Emily Oxland, who has been sidelined with an upper body injury.
While Manuel said freshman Sara McCreary has done an admirable job filling in for Oxland, the absence of the fifth-year setter has had an effect how he uses his roster.
91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵÀá³Ù91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s just takes away a few options, ·É±ð91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™r±ð using people in different situations where maybe they ³ó²¹±¹±ð²Ô91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™t been very much ²ú±ð´Ú´Ç°ù±ð,91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ said Manuel, adding that 91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵÂÙ²¹°ù²¹ has stepped in and done a great job the last couple of weeks.
91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵœB³Ü³Ù having Emily in the lineup does give us a bit more of a °ù±ð±è±ð°ù³Ù´Ç¾±°ù±ð.91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ
While the Spartans pushed their record to 15-1, the Heat are now 10-6 but still solidly in fifth spot in Canada West.
With a bye week coming up and eight matches remaining, Manuel likes how his team is playing and how ³Ù³ó±ð²â91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™r±ð positioned.
91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵœW±ð91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™r±ð right in the thick of ¾±³Ù,91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ he said. 91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵÀá think this team is getting better as the season goes ´Ç²Ô.91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ
Manuel said the Heat are welcoming the week off and will use time to both heal the bumps, bruises and aching muscles, and to fine tune for the stretch run.
The Heat will return to action Feb. 3 and 4 when they host the University of Saskatchewan Huskies.
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The UBC Okanagan men knew ³Ù³ó±ð²â91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™d have their work cut out with the No. 1 ranked team in CIS volleyball.
The Trinity Western Spartans lived up to their billing with a pair of sweeps over the hometown Heat at the Kelowna campus gym.
On Friday, the Spartans prevailed 3-0 (25-21, 25-17, and 25-17) in ±«µþ°ä°¿91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s first home match of the new year.
Ryan Sclater led TWU with 14 kills, while Lars Bornemann was the best Heat hitter on the night, finishing with nine kills and .333 hitting percentage.
On Saturday, Trinity dominated again in three sets, 25-12, 25-20, and 25-18.
Sclater again led the Spartans with 16 kills. Kyle Hinchey had eight kills for UBCO, while Bornemann finished with six.
The Heat (4-12) will have this coming weekend off, before returning to action Feb. 3 and 4 at home to the University of Saskatchewan Huskies.