Jan 28 GAME OF THE YEAR ENDS IN HEARTBREAK

Men’s Volleyball (Conference)
Saturday, January 28, 2006
TWU Spartans (2) vs. the University of Alberta Golden Bears (3)
(21-25, 27-25, 23-25, 25-22, 12-15)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

GAME OF THE YEAR ENDS IN HEARTBREAK
#1 Alberta just gets by #2 TWU

LANGLEY, British Columbia - The number two ranked Trinity Western University men’s volleyball team played host to the number one ranked team in the nation in front of a capacity crowd that was rewarded with a match for the ages. The University of Alberta improved their overall record to 15-1 in the five set win (25-21, 25-27, 25-23, 22-25, 15-12) over TWU, who falls to 12-4 with the loss.

It was a seesaw battle the entire match with giant plays coming on every point available. Long rallies, big kills and huge digs were the name of the game on this night. Both teams brought their A game and did not disappoint. It was one of those games where one team had to win but neither team deserved to lose.

Alberta asserted themselves early in the first set going up 8-5 at the first break. Trinity Western held back the Golden Bears attack and was only down by two at the second break, 16-14. A huge block by TWU cut Alberta’s lead to one point at 22-21 late in the first set. U of A went on to win the next three points and the set 25-21.

Both teams traded points early but a big block from Seth Schalk (3rd year, leftside, Red Deer, Alta.) put the Spartans up 8-7 at the first break. Neither team could establish any momentum, and at the second timeout the Spartans had a similar one point lead at 16-15. With the score 21-19 for TWU, Alberta rattled off four straight points to make the score 23-21. The Spartans came back to tie the game at 24-24 to force extra points and an ace from Seth Schalk won the second set for TWU 27-25.

The third set was more of the same as Alberta was up 16-15 at the second timeout. The Golden Bears stretched the lead to four at 21-17 with a block. Three straight serves and two aces from Seth Schalk closed the gap to 21-20, and TWU tied the game at 23-23 behind the strong serving of Stephen Nash (2nd year, middle, Abbotsford, BC). U of A then made a side out and had an ace of their own to win the set 25-23.

Alberta established the lead early in the fourth set going up 8-4 at the first break. The Spartans fought hard to get back into the set and went into the second timeout down by three at 16-13. TWU then swung the momentum in their favor tying the game at 18-18. An ace from Josh Howatson (4th year, setter, Victoria) gave TWU a lead late in the set at 20-19. With the score 24-22 Steve Rogalsky (2nd year, rightside, Maple Ridge) served up an ace to win the set 25-22 and force a fifth and deciding set.

In the fifth set the intensity was sky high and the players on the court held nothing back, but the Golden Bears had a slight edge, up 8-7 at the break. Alberta then took a three point lead at 11-8 and this lead was too much to come back from as the Golden Bears won the final set 15-12.

Steve Rogalsky had the most kills and digs in the match with 22 and 13 respectively. Nicholas Cundy (Edmonton) for the Golden Bears had the next highest kills at 18.

Next up for the Spartans is the UBC Thunderbirds on February 3rd and 4th at the David E. Enarson gymnasium.

Match Notes: TWU hit at 28%, while U of A hit at 41%... TW had12 aces; while the Golden Bears had two... Trinity Western had six blocks, to the Golden Bears 15...TWU’s 12 aces is the 3rd most in a match for the Spartans...Josh Howatson’s 60 set assists is the 2nd most in a match for the Spartans; Howatson holds the record of 66 set against Winnipeg on Nov 13, 2004...

-TW-

Volleyball Box Score
                          TWU Men's Volleyball 2005-06
    #1 Alberta Golden Bears vs #2 TWU Spartans (Jan 28, 2006 at Langley, BC)



   Alberta Golden Bears   |     ATTACK      |SET| SERVE |SRV|DEF|  BLOCK |GEN
## Name                 GP|  K   E  TA   PCT|  A| SA  SE| RE|DIG|BS BA BE|BHE|POINTS
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1  Nicholas Cundy......  5| 18   4  33  .424|  1|  1   4|  3|  8| 0  2  0|  0|  20.0
3  Adam Kaminski.......  5|  7   1  10  .600|  0|  0   2|  0|  3| 0  8  0|  0|  11.0
5  Brock Davidiuk......  5|  2   0   2 1.000| 60|  1   2|  0|  4| 0  7  0|  0|   6.5
7  Dallas Soonias......  5| 17   4  35  .371|  0|  0   0|  0|  7| 0  4  1|  0|  19.0
14 Leo Carroll.........  5|  8   1  10  .700|  0|  0   2|  0|  1| 1  5  0|  0|  11.5
17 Alex Gaumont-Casias.  5| 16   5  37  .297|  1|  1   3|  5|  6| 0  2  0|  0|  18.0
2  Justin Wong.........  5|  0   0   2  .000|  2|  0   0|  4| 11| 0  0  0|  0|   0.0
9  Tony Szkultecki.....  2|  0   0   0  .000|  0|  0   0|  0|  0| 0  0  0|  0|   0.0
13 Derek Proudfoot.....  2|  0   0   0  .000|  0|  0   0|  0|  0| 0  0  0|  0|   0.0
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Totals..............  5| 68  15 129  .411| 64|  3  13| 12| 40| 1 28  1|  0|  86.0

 TEAM ATTACK PER GAME                               TOTAL TEAM BLOCKS: 15.0
 Game  K  E  TA   Pct
   1  15  5  24  .417   GAME SCORES               1  2  3  4  5  TEAM RECORDS
   2  16  3  30  .433   Alberta Golden Bears (3) 25 25 25 22 15  15-1
   3  12  4  26  .308   TWU Spartans........ (2) 21 27 23 25 12  12-4
   4  16  2  28  .500
   5   9  1  21  .381

   TWU Spartans           |     ATTACK      |SET| SERVE |SRV|DEF|  BLOCK |GEN
## Name                 GP|  K   E  TA   PCT|  A| SA  SE| RE|DIG|BS BA BE|BHE|POINTS
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2  Seth Schalk.........  5| 12   6  24  .250|  1|  3   3|  0|  6| 0  1  0|  0|  15.5
3  Josh Howatson.......  5|  2   4   9 -.222| 60|  2   1|  0|  9| 0  1  0|  0|   4.5
5  Jeff Stel...........  5| 16   7  36  .250|  1|  1   0|  1|  5| 0  1  0|  0|  17.5
7  Chris Meehan........  5|  7   1  13  .462|  0|  3   1|  0|  1| 0  1  0|  0|  10.5
9  Steve Rogalsky......  5| 22   9  44  .295|  1|  3   5|  0| 13| 1  1  0|  0|  26.5
12 Doug van Spronsen...  5|  8   1  14  .500|  0|  0   1|  0|  2| 0  4  0|  0|  10.0
4  Andrew Hawkes.......  3|  0   0   0  .000|  0|  0   0|  0|  0| 0  0  0|  0|   0.0
8  Jeff Lindemulder....  5|  0   0   1  .000|  2|  0   0|  2|  5| 0  0  0|  0|   0.0
10 Justin Pankratz.....  3|  0   0   0  .000|  0|  0   0|  0|  0| 0  1  0|  0|   0.5
14 Stephen Nash........  4|  0   0   0  .000|  0|  0   0|  0|  0| 0  0  0|  0|   0.0
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Totals..............  5| 67  28 141  .277| 65| 12  11|  3| 41| 1 10  0|  0|  85.0

 TEAM ATTACK PER GAME                               TOTAL TEAM BLOCKS: 6.0
 Game  K  E  TA   Pct
   1  15  6  24  .375   Site: Langley, BC (David Enarson Gym)
   2  16  6  33  .303   Date: Jan 28, 2006   Attend: 750   Time: 2:30
   3  12  9  33  .091   Referees:
   4  15  4  32  .344
   5   9  3  19  .316
                                         1   2   3   4   5 Total
                        Tie scores      11  20  12   5   8    56
                        Lead changes     1   9   4   2   6    22

Last Updated: 2009-02-16
Author: Scott Stewart
Email: ssstew@twu.ca