For all but one wretched set, the University of Calgary women’s volleyball squad lived up to their billing as the best team in the country. A 25-17 loss in the first set of the Fri., Nov. 2 match against the University of Alberta was the only blemish on an otherwise perfect Dinos start.
"We haven’t done that in at least seven years," said Dinos Head Coach Kevin Boyles. "That’s a very tough gym to win in.
"[Setter] Natalie Schwartz has been steady for such a young player," continued Boyles. "She just turned 18 and she’s starting on the best team in the country."
The Dinos won Friday’s match 3-1 thanks to an outstanding effort by Krista Kinsman who earned 10 kills and 13 digs. Captain Amanda Moppett added 12 kills as the Pandas were unable to ground Calgary’s high flying offence.
Saturday’s match was a 3-0 Dinos triumph, though all three sets were very close. Alisa Marriott’s 12 kills led the way as Calgary came out with a different lineup to confuse their dim-witted northern rivals. Kinsman moved back to the right side and Tracy Keats played a very effective game in the middle as rookie Joanna Nimczewska got the night off.
"It’s good to utilize our depth," said Boyles. "We don’t want any players to spend too much time on the bench. A nice side effect of that is that we can keep opponents on their toes."
Rally Points:
Why do skin-tight women’s volleyball shorts have pockets?