Trinity Western edge out UBC Okanagan for Canada West title

~ Grayson Leahy // Heat communications

KELOWNA, BC - The Canada West women's volleyball championship went all five sets on Saturday night as the hometown UBC Okanagan Heat stormed back to win the fourth set only to fall to the visiting Trinity Western Spartans 15-10 in the fifth set.

Trinity Western has now won back to back Canada West conference championships, both years they did so by beating the host team both years.

Set Scores: (25-19, 18-25, 25-18, 23-25, 15-10)

The teams split the first two sets, trading blows like the heavyweights these two teams have been since October.

Intense and raucous from start to finish the crowd at UBC Okanagan seemed to will their hometown team to extend the match to five with 25-23 fourth set win.

The deciding set saw Trinity Western close out strong and finish the match 15-10. The Spartans took an 8-6 lead into the technical time-out, and fought off the Heat attack to win four consecutive points, going up 13-8. Holding strong, the Spartans stayed consistent at the net, before taking the final point on a service error by Siobhan Fitzpatrick.

Elizabeth Wendel, notched four kills in the fifth for the Spartans, 20 total in the match, earning the fourth year lefty swinging outside the Canada West Final Four MVP.

Mikasa Players of the Match for the Kelowna squad was fifth year middle Katie Wuttunee.

Katie Wuttunee finished with 9 kills (.300) to lead UBC Okanagan and four service aces. Senior, Brianna Beamish finished the night with seven kills and nine digs. Megan Festival finished with 10 digs.

As a team the Heat finished tonight's match up with (39) kills and an attack percentage of (.137). The Spartans were able to effectively attack the net and finished tonight's gold medal game with (58) and an attack percentage of (.227).

Trinity Western had three players in double digits and were led by Elizabeth Wendel with 20 kills (.279). Sophie Carpentier followed with 15 kills (.222) and Mikasa Player of the Match was Mariel Garcia with 11 kills (.214) and 13 digs.

From the first serve, the UBC Okanagan gymnasium was packed, loud, and raucous, with fans from both teams making themselves heard consistently throughout the match.

Trinity Western took the first set 25-19. The Spartans started strong in the set, jumping out to a 4-1 lead. The Heat tied the match up at 8-8, then 9-9, and took a hard fought 16-15 lead into the technical time-out. The Spartans made full use of their power attack late in the set, with Elizabeth Wendel and Sophie Carpentier combining for four kills in the final six TWU points.

UBC Okanagan won an outstanding second set, 25-18. Trinity Western started strong again in the second, taking a quick 5-1 lead, with three of those points coming from Elizabeth Wendel kills. The Heat once again tied it up at 8-8, and building on a strong service run from Katie Wuttunee, took their lead up to four, at 12-8. Heat coach Steve Manuel was given a yellow card for arguing the call in favour of Trinity Western that broke the Heat run.

The Heat won back serve, at 13-10, on a nearly minute-long rally that featured huge swings, diving digs, and blocks from both teams. At the technical time-out, UBC Okanagan had a 16-12 lead. The Heat held on to the lead through the end of the set, with Siobhan Fitzpatrick coming into the match and serving the final four points, including one ace.

Trinity Western won a back-and-forth third set, 25-18. The Heat took their first lead of the third set at 11-10, but the Spartans took a 16-13 lead into the technical time-out. The Spartans held steady, and went on a four point run to earn set point at 24-17. The final point of the set came on another strong kill from Elizabeth Wendel.

UBC Okanagan won the fourth set 25-23. The frame started with interesting serving - back-to-back service errors from Mariel Garcia and Emily Oxland, and a point later back-to-back service aces from Kristin Anton, who then had a service error of her own a point after that.

The Heat went on a six point run to pull within one, at 13-12 for TWU, that included back-to-back service aces from Katie Wuttunee. With yet another service ace, this time from Kaitlyn Given, the Heat tied the set up at 14. Trinity Western scored two points in a row, the second of which came on a call that was loudly contested by Heat fans, to take a 16-14 lead into the technical time-out.

The Heat went on another run late in the fourth set, winning three points in a row to pull within one at 21-20 and force a Trinity Western time-out. The teams traded points, until the Heat took their first lead of the set at 24-23, and then won the set when Spartan hitter Mariel Garcia put an attack out the back of the court.

After the gold medal match, and prior to the awarding of the gold and silver medals, awards were handed out to attending members of the Canada West All-Rookie team, and the Canada West First- and Second- Team All-Stars, which were announced earlier this week. Canada West individual awards for the season were handed out as well.

Both the Trinity Western University Spartans and the UBC Okanagan Heat will move on to compete in the CIS national championships next weekend in Brandon, MB. The tournament opens Friday March 11.

About Canada West Championships:

Canada West Universities Athletic Association is the premier university athletic conference in the Canada, awarding a total of 19 conference championships annually in 11 different sports. With 17 members stretching from British Columbia to Manitoba, the conference is home to champion student-athletes that excel on the field, in the classroom, and in their communities.