Dinos survive to force deciding game three in Crowchild Classic play-in series

Recap by Mount Royal University Sports Information

CALGARY, AB - The University of Calgary Dinos men's volleyball team kept their season alive Friday night, battling past the Mount Royal Cougars in five sets to force a decisive third match in the best-of-three play-in series. Game three will be hosted by MRU on Saturday. 

Calgary set the tone early in the opening set with a strong blocking presence at the net, led by Cole and Ethan Czepuryk. The Dinos jumped out to an early lead and maintained control throughout the frame, despite Mount Royal staying within striking distance behind the efforts of Cody Hudson. Calgary pulled away late, with the Czepuryk brothers continuing to assert themselves offensively, closing out the set 25–18. 

The second set featured a much tighter contest, as Mount Royal's defensive adjustments prevented the Dinos from finding the same offensive rhythm they had in the opener. Isaac Karstad played a key role on both sides of the ball for the Cougars, while Calgary responded with huge contributions from Will Kay and Erik Godwin. Two key kills from Godwin helped the Dinos gain separation midway through the set, and Calgary closed it out 25–20 to take a 2–0 lead. 

Mount Royal answered back in the third set with urgency, thanks to a strong collective effort to build an early advantage and force Calgary into a timeout. The Dinos responded behind Cole Czepuryk and Zach Durrant, storming back to even the score midway through the set. However, the Cougars regained momentum late, as Hudson and Kai Toney delivered key points down the stretch to take the set 25–19. Will Kay led Calgary with 17 kills, while Cody Hudson matched that total to lead Mount Royal in the loss. 

That momentum carried into the fourth, with Mount Royal leaning on strong defensive play from Devon Sales-Parno and increased pressure at the net. Calgary erased a mid-set deficit behind timely scoring from Jackson Vandersteen, but the Cougars regained control thanks to service pressure from Ryan John. Late kills from Kale Orr, Toney, and Hudson helped Mount Royal secure the set 25–21 and force a deciding fifth. 

Calgary responded immediately in the final set, jumping out to an early lead and dictating the pace throughout. Orr did his best to keep Mount Royal within reach, but the Dinos remained composed and closed out the match with a 15–9 victory. 

Following the match, head coach Graham emphasized his team's mindset heading into Saturday's winner-take-all contest, noting that the focus remains on staying present. "Play one point at a time," Graham said, adding that "trying to bring momentum from one match to the next is very difficult." 

Instead, he stressed that "momentum happens during the match," as the Dinos now turn their attention to "point one, tomorrow night, at 7:00 p.m."