THE UNIVERSITY OF SASKATCHEWAN’S MAIN CAMPUS IS SITUATED ON TREATY 6 TERRITORY AND THE HOMELAND OF THE MÉTIS.
THE UNIVERSITY OF SASKATCHEWAN’S MAIN CAMPUS IS SITUATED ON TREATY 6 TERRITORY AND THE HOMELAND OF THE MÉTIS.
Bryan Fraser smashes it through the Bears defence.
The University of Alberta Golden Bears snagged two wins from the Huskies men’s volleyball team this past weekend at the Physical Activity Complex.
In the two games held Nov. 11 and 12, the Dogs fell in five sets to the Bears despite leading 2-1 and having plenty of opportunities to win the game.
“We have some guys who have to learn to play in this type of situation,” said Huskies head coach Brian Gavlas after Saturday’s match. “Both last night and tonight kind of proved it.”
On the first night, service errors by the Dogs late in the fourth and fifth sets practically handed the victory to Alberta.
The Bears won 3-2 (25-22, 23-25, 25-27, 25-21, 16-14).
On the second night, had the Huskies been able to finish their kills, Alberta’s mistakes would have gift-wrapped a Saskatchewan win.
In the fourth set, Alberta led 22-20. A net fault, a few kills that went out of bounds and a blooper-reel service return by the Bears, however, put the Huskies ahead 24-22.
Needing only one point to win the set and take the game, the Dogs were unable to capitalize and Alberta took the set 27-25.
“We just didn’t execute,” said Huskie Matt Busse. “At the end of sets and all the way through, that’s what we need to work on.”
The Bears took the final set 15-11.
Alberta moved to 4-0 with the win while the Huskies fell to 1-5.
Erin McGladdery tips it over the Pandas’ blockers.
The Dogs, after a 25-20 victory in the first set of the first game, couldn’t hold the momentum and fell 3-1 and 3-0 to the undefeated Alberta Pandas.
“We won the first set and we were up 20-19 in the second set, and then everything kind of [fell apart],” said Huskies head coach Jason Grieve after the two-game series. “We were happy with our performance yesterday, in a sense, but not happy with the outcome.”
Saskatchewan’s strong first set was highlighted by a series of comeback kills from Candace Hueser and a service ace from Erin McGladdery that tied the match at 14. First-year Kayla Tycholiz then sealed the Huskies’ 25 points with two consecutive kills.
“I think yesterday felt more positive — the first half of it anyway,” said Grieve.
In the second set, Alberta was able to silence a Dogs’ lead by stealing the final six points of the match and winning 25-20.
The Pandas then took the final sets 25-14 and 25-19.
On the next night, the Huskies faltered greatly and gave the Pandas the victory in three straight sets (25-16, 25-13, 25-12).
“We just have to keep investing in basic skill work,” said Grieve. “When things aren’t going well, we revert to our [old habits], but we have to get away from that.”
With the loss, the Huskies are now 0-6 on the season. Alberta is 4-0.
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Photos: Raisa Pezderic/The Sheaf