Scheduled Game: @Thompson Rivers*

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GAME RESULTS 1 2 3 4 5 T Trinity Western 21 25 20 25 11 2 Thompson Rivers 25 22 25 19 15 3 « FINAL

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Game Recap

WOMENS VOLLEYBALL (CANADA WEST)
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2010
TWU SPARTANS (2) VS THE THOMPSON RIVERS UNIVERSITY WOLFPACK (3)
(25-21,22-25,25-20,19-25,15-11)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SPARTANS FALL IN FIVE TO WOLFPACK
- Door may have shut on hosting post season series

KAMLOOPS, British Columbia – The Trinity Western University men’s volleyball team fell in five sets to the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack Friday night at the Tournament Capital Centre in Kamloops, B.C. As a result of the 25-21,22-25,25-20,19-25,15-11 loss the Spartans drop to 11-7 and will now need a lot of help if they are to host a play-off match in two weeks at the Langley Events Centre. The win moves the WolfPack to 11-7.

“It was a good battle and in the fifth we had a bunch of opportunities to score points, but we couldn’t make the big plays when it counted and to win a play-off style match those are the plays that must be made and tonight we didn’t make the most of those opportunities and we were the recipients of a loss due to that,” commented TWU head coach Ben Josephson. “It doesn’t get any simpler then that if you want to do something special in the playoffs then you have to make the big plays when they come your way.  Collectively almost every single guy had an opportunity and didn’t’ make the most of it and collectively we lost the match.”

The Spartans have had difficulty this season winning the first set of the match, having dropped the first set in 10 of their matches, and as a result have had to play “catch-up” in order to have a successful outcome on the night. Tonight was no different as the WoffPack took the opener and were given a degree of comfort throughout the contest.

“We need to do some things better if we want to be successful in the play-offs. We need to find a way to win the first set and start putting our opponents under pressure. And secondly we need to make big plays when they come our way. If we can do both those things then we will be okay if we can’t then that could be the key to winning a play-off series,” added Josephson. “So we are going to look at tomorrow like it is the second match of the play-offs and we need to try and level this thing up and push it to a third game.”

The WolfPack were led by a 20 kill, nine dig, and five block performance from outside Gord Perrin of Kamloops, B.C., while leftside Steven Marshall of Abbotsford, B.C. with 23 kills, 12 digs and three blocks led the Spartans.

“He is our go to guy,” said Josephson.  “They have Gord and we have Steven. Both put on a show. The numbers are identical and the funny thing is that they grew up playing provincial team together. They are good friends and it’s fun to see them battle. Both have to make those types of plays.”    

Josephson thought the difference in the match was the WolfPack’s second and third options made plays while his did not down the stretch.

TRU had two other players in double figures in kills.  Leftside Kevin Tillie of Cagnes Sur Mer, France had 15 kills, 12 digs and two blocks, while outside Robin Schoebel of Monaco had 11 kills, nine digs and five blocks.

Other top players for Trinity Western were leftside Marc Howatson of Victoria who had 14 kills and eight digs, setter Ben Ball of Abbotsford, B.C. who had 52 assists, leftside Paul Lindemulder of Calgary and libero Jarrod Offereins of Calgary who both had 10 digs.

The same two teams close out their Canada West season Saturday (Feb 13) at the Tournament Capital Center. Match time is 6:45 pm.

Match Notes:  For TWU to place fourth and host Calgary needs to beat Winnipeg by at least 3-1 and TWU needs to beat TRU by at least 3-1. If the Spartans beat the WolfPack 3-2 and Calgary beats Winnipeg in five sets than TWU is fifth and play’s at Winnipeg… a loss to TRU tomorrow puts TWU sixth…

-TW-
-source TRU Sports Information.

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