By Brad Halasz
Spoiler alert: women’s volleyball team sweeps WolfPack
Second place is first loser, right? Try telling that to the University of Calgary Dinos women’s volleyball team.
Their dominant effort last weekend in a two-game series against the University of Thompson Rivers WolfPack proved they wanted a first-place finish in the Canada West conference.
Unfortunately, the two wins were not enough. A first place finish required the University of Alberta Pandas to lose their remaining games. They did not.
On Friday, the visiting WolfPack proved to be a nuisance for the Dinos who forced a come-from-behind victory in five sets (25-14, 23-25, 21-25, 25-17, 15-9).
While the Dinos playoff spot was already secured, the defeat doused the WolfPack’s chances of post-season play.
Down and out, but still fighting for pride, Thompson Rivers gave everything they had and at one point had an 18-8 lead in the second set Saturday.
Of course, as seems to be the fashion of late, the Dinos rallied another come-from-behind effort. They came within four points but the WolfPack managed to hold on to the set 25-21.
It was the tenacious drive of team veterans Lauren Perry, Julie Young, and Holly Harper who helped tame the WolfPack in four sets (25-23, 21-25, 25-14, 25-23). All three notched 16 kills each.
The team hosts Simon Fraser University to finish off the regular season Feb. 6 and Feb. 7 at the Jack Simpson Gym. Both games go at 7 p.m.
Dinos women’s basketball woes continue
The University of Calgary Dinos women’s basketball team is safe– for now. They have clinched the final playoff spot in the Canada West Central division, but will have a tough mountain to climb come post-season play.
Their latest efforts came in the form of two losses in British Columbia last weekend.
The Dinos were hoping to carry their momentum from a convincing win against Trinity Western University on home court Jan. 24, unfortunately they fell to the domination of the University of Victoria Vikes 65-52, then again to the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds 79-61 a day later.
Their final two games are against powerhouse University of Alberta Pandas (14-6).
The games will act as a measuring tool for the ability of the Dinos to make something happen in the post-season.
The two-game series gets underway Jan. 6 in Edmonton.
Holy crap: Dinos men’s basketball team has only lost four games
The latest loss by the University of Calgary men’s basketball team was to Canada West powerhouse rival the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds in Vancouver Saturday. The 79-61 loss was just the Dinos’ fourth of the season and they boast the best record in Canada West next to UBC (19-2).
While the game was meaningless on paper– as both teams clinched playoff positions ages ago – the match-up served as a preview of the type of play expected in the post-season.
The game was gritty as UBC banked 27 personal fouls. The Dinos managed to notch 21, including eight in the fourth quarter.
The Dinos finish off the regular season with a two-game series against northern rival the University of Alberta Golden Bears Feb. 6 and 7.