By Jon Roe
The women v-ballasaurs started their season in fine form, winning both matches over the visiting Simon Fraser University Clan Fri., Nov. 3 and Sat., Nov. 4 at the Jack Simpson Gym.
The Clan finished last season with a record of 3-17, and were completely outclassed Friday night when the Dinos took the match in three straight sets, 25-20, 25-21 and 25-20. The first set started much as expected with the Dinos cruising to an 8-1 lead before letting the Clan into the game. The Clan took an 11-9 lead, with the help of a solid run.
“I was really disappointed in the first set,” said Dinos head coach Kevin Boyles. “We were up 8-1 and we just opened the door and let them right back in. The consistency improves [as the season goes on] and you don’t give up those runs of five or six points. [But,] that was an awful run we gave up there.”
Lauren Perry helped the Dinos regain the lead with four straight kills after the score was tied at 15-15. Perry finished the match with six kills and 12 digs.
The Dinos won the first set 25-20 after a Clan pass malfunction gave the Dinos their 25th point.
The Clan came out strong in the second set, grabbing a 4-0 lead and holding the four point advantage until the first time-out came with the score 8-4. The Dinos allowed the Clan to control most of the match before rallying to tie the score at 20-20, and pulling away with a 5-1 run, the score finishing in a 25-21 set victory for the Dinos.
The third set saw the Dinos put the Clan at a 19-11 disadvantage. The teams traded points to make the score 20-12, before the Dinos subbed off veteran Joanna Niemczewska in favour of rookie Kathryn Moncks. Niemczewska led the Dinos in kills with 12.
The Dinos closed out the match win with another 25-20 set victory.
“In the third set when you’re up 2-0, you have to show them there’s a reason you’re up 2-0,” said third-year business student Julie Young. “You have to dominate them. I think we did a pretty good job in the third set.”
Young was second on the team with nine kills on the night.
Saturday the Dinos picked up their second victory over the Clan in another three straight sets, 25-21, 25-21, and 25-16.
The third set of Saturday’s game was another opportunity for Boyles to get some young blood on the court, as the Dinos started with a 9-2 lead and controlled most of the match. Moncks and another first-year player, Stephanie West, came on to help close out the Clan 25-16.
Niemczewska was tied for most Dinos’ kills with Willemina Stikker-Breemhaar. Both had 11.
“We tend to play a lot better in the playoffs when we’re at home,” said Boyles. “Every match we win gives us a better chance to be here at the Jack in the [Canada West] playoffs.”