KELOWNA, B.C. – It was payback time on Saturday night as the Heat captured the four-set victory over the visiting Alberta Pandas thanks to a balanced attack.
Hellen Lacava, Jade Bussard and Amaya Perry would all finish in double-figures for the Heat attack as they captured the final three sets after dropping the opener.
Kory White had another outstanding game for the Pandas as she had 23 kills and 16 digs in a losing effort for Alberta.
With the victory, the Heat are now .500 (2-2) while the Pandas fall to (1-3).
Heat head coach Steve Manuel was happy with the UBCO effort that went into the win:
“I can’t say enough about our team… That young squad have no quit in them. They’re resilient and they’re tough, and they keep coming hard.”
The opening set would feature leads by both teams, including a chance for UBCO to close out the frame with the score (24-23). A Kory White kill would keep the set alive and Vanessa Jarman came up with a big block followed up with a put-away from the middle to close out the opening frame (26-24) Alberta.
After struggling to find an offensive rhythm in the first frame the Heat attack came on strong in the second to the tune of 11 kills and just three errors in the frame. This hot-hitting allowed them to score nine of the first 12 points of the set as they took command early, eventually closing out the frame (25-14).
A crazy rally at (23-20) in the fourth would feature two diving digs from libero Claudia Corneil and then Hellen Lacava closed out the point from the left side. Just a point later the Heat took the one-set lead following a kill from Bussard.
It was all UBCO in the fourth as well, as they jumped out to a (16-12) advantage at the media timeout but would have to hang on. Five straight points from Alberta got them within one (19-18), but rookies Perry and Parres Holliday served things out for the home squad.
UBC Okanagan (2-2) will continue their homestand next weekend when they play host to the Manitoba Bisons (0-0). Alberta (2-2) will be off next weekend before they continue their road trip in Kamloops to take on the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack (3-0).
All action can be watched live on Canada West TV presented by Co-op.
[SOURCE: UBC Okanagan]