Dinos Punch Ticket to Quarter-Finals with Dramatic Crowchild Classic Win
Calgary won a decisive fifth-set to stun the rival Cougars, winning the play-in series 2-1
| In Progress - 5th | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
23 | 25 | 21 | 25 | 15 | 3 |
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25 | 21 | 25 | 22 | 13 | 2 |
Team Stats
| Game Statistics | Calgary | Mount Royal |
|---|---|---|
| Hitting % | .302 | .311 |
| Blocks | 8.0 | 10.0 |
| Digs | 63 | 49 |
| Aces | 4 | 4 |
Recap by Mount Royal University Sports Information
CALGARY - The University of Calgary Dinos men's volleyball team defeated the Mount Royal Cougars in five sets Saturday night to advance to the Canada West quarterfinals.
Mount Royal took the opening set 25-23 after an early surge from Cody Hudson, Kale Orr and Michael McAlpine. McAlpine and Orr powered much of the Cougars' offence as MRU built a lead. Calgary responded behind Cole and Ethan Czepuryk to draw even late, but despite a late push from Erik Godwin, the Cougars held on in a tight finish.
Calgary evened the match with a 25-21 win in the second set, establishing a strong presence at the net that carried throughout the contest. Luke Nodwell helped the Dinos build an early advantage, while Calgary's blocking limited Mount Royal's attack. Orr sparked a mid-set push for the Cougars, but a late kill from Will Kay secured the set for Calgary.
The Cougars regained control in the third, winning 25-21. Calgary jumped out quickly behind Godwin, but Mount Royal responded through Ryan John. Strong net play from Maxim Turgeon, Devon Sales-Parno and Orr helped shift momentum before John delivered key points late to give MRU a 2-1 lead.
Facing elimination, the Dinos responded with a 25-22 victory in the fourth. The teams traded points early before Calgary reestablished control behind Godwin's offence. Mount Royal tied the set midway through, but the Dinos pulled away late to force a deciding fifth set.
Calgary closed out the match with a 15-13 win in the fifth. Godwin continued to lead the offence, while the Dinos' blocking and defensive pressure helped build an early edge. Mount Royal stayed within reach behind McAlpine, but Calgary held its composure down the stretch.
Godwin finished with 21 kills for Calgary. Kay added 17 kills and a team-high 14 digs. Orr led Mount Royal with 26 kills.
The win advances the Dinos to the Canada West quarter-final round where they will head west to battle UBC in a best-of-three series starting Thursday night.