Cougars down Dinos in weekend opener

REGINA – The Calgary Dinos women’s volleyball team couldn’t quite get over the hump in a 3-1 loss to the Regina Cougars in Friday’s weekend opener from the Centre for Kinesiology, Health & Sport.

With the win, the Cougars move to 2-3 on the year, while the Dinos drop to 1-2.

Calgary came out firing in the opener. Narelle Arnold had an early kill before teaming up with Anya Fehr for a block as the Dinos jumped out to a 7-1 lead. Arnold and Olsen then had a big block to make it 14-8, Calgary, before a big run by the home squad flipped the lead to 19-17, Cougars. Kills from Sophia Hansen and Robyn McLean kept the Dinos in it, but Regina was able to put things away for the opening win, 25-21.

It was nearly a complete role reversal in the second, as Regina jumped out to a quick 6-0 advantage. They were able to maintain that six-point cushion until late, when the Dinos went on an 8-1 run, capped by a kill from Hansen, to cut the deficit to just 21-19. But, Calgary couldn’t get over the hump as Regina made it a 2-0 lead.

Things were much cleaner in the third as the Dinos hit an impressive .500 in the frame and never trailed. Daisy Olsen had five kills in the set, while Miranda Baines and Hansen added four apiece to force a fourth set.

But it was another slow start the doomed the Dinos in the fourth. A Cougars block made it 7-1 and a kill by Samanta Krausher stretched things to 12-2 before closing things for the 3-1 win.

The two teams are right back at it Saturday for another 6 p.m. match from the CKHS.

-UC-