Cougars catchup: Feb. 10

The MRU Cougars sent both volleyball teams as well as the women’s hockey team on the road last weekend, facing the TRU Wolfpack on the hardwood and the University of Regina Cougars on the ice. Find out what happened on MRU’s 3-3 road weekend below.

WHKY: Friday, Feb. 7 vs University of Regina Cougars

The MRU Cougars women’s hockey team entered their penultimate weekend of the season with confidence, knowing that they are likely going to face Regina in the first round of this year’s Canada West Playoffs. In the first of their two matches in Saskatchewan, the Cougars came out victorious by a 3-2 margin.

MRU did not waste any time putting points on the board as less than five minutes into the first period, Jori Hansen-Young and Dara Thompson fed Jerzey Watteyne for the first goal of the game. Alexandria Spence scored a few minutes later on a powerplay, assisted by Aliya Jomha and Summer Fomradas, putting the Cougars up 2-0 at the end of the first period.

No one scored in the second period, but Regina came alive in the third as they scored halfway through the third minute of the final period to cut the lead to 2-1. Jori Hansen-Young helped her team re-open their two-goal advantage as she and Athena Hauck dimed Allee Gerrard for MRU’s third goal of the game. Regina scored one more goal on a late third period powerplay, but MRU held on until the final buzzer, winning 3-2.

Kaitlyn Ross made 14 saves on 16 shots, while the Cougars’ offense produced 35 shots in their one-goal victory.

MVB: Friday, Feb. 7 vs Thompson Rivers University Wolfpack

The MRU Cougars men’s volleyball team traveled to Kamloops to take on the TRU Wolfpack in their second-last weekend of the season. Unfortunately, the Cougars were unable to pull out a win in enemy territory as they conceded a 0-3 defeat on Friday.

MRU were slow to warm up in the first set, losing 18-25 and committing six attack errors. However, they forced extra points in the next two sets, but could not overcome TRU as they took two consecutive 25-27 set losses. Their best performance came in the second set as they scored 16 kills on 25 attempts, making only one error on their way to a striking 60 per cent kill rate.

Ryan John led the Cougars’ killing effort as he secured 13 kills, aided by Grant Hill’s 36 assists. Jovan Stepanovic posted team-highs in aces (1) and blocks (2), while Paul Dionne dug out nine Wolfpack attacks.

WVB: Friday, Feb. 7 vs Thompson Rivers University Wolfpack

The MRU Cougars women’s volleyball team went westward to take on the TRU Wolfpack in Kamloops for their second-last weekend series of the season. However, the Wolfpack snapped the Cougars’ seven-game winning streak as they swept the Cougars 0-3 on Friday night.

MRU’s woes started early in this game as they lost the first set 15-25 and allowed TRU to kill at a 51.9 per cent clip. They improved in the second set, losing 20-25 and conceding four less kills on the same number of attempts, but gave up another 15 kills on 41.4 per cent efficienc in their 14-25 third-set loss. 

Emma Boyd led the Cougars’ offense with six kills, supplemented by Lexi Herrod’s 18 assists and boosted by Sydney Scatcherd’s game-leading five aces. Bronwynn Davies-Neira topped her team in digs (9), while Grace Coulter and Boyd secured the only two blocks of the night for the Cougars.

WHKY: Saturday, Feb. 8 vs University of Regina Cougars

After winning a close game in regulation on Friday, MRU skated onto the ice on Saturday for a rematch against the University of Regina Cougars, which extended into overtime and ended in an MRU victory by a 3-2 scoreline.

The MRU Cougars scored the first two goals of the game about a minute apart, with Sydney Benko and Summer Fomradas feeding Kiana McNinch in the eighth minute and Jordyn Hutt assisting Lyndsey Janes in the ninth minute. 

MRU held on to their two-goal advantage until the third period, with Regina staging a comeback halfway through the final period. First scoring off a powerplay and then scoring on even strength, Regina tied the game and sent it into overtime. Neither team scored for the first four minutes of the extra period until Aliya Jomha took matters into her own hands and scored an unassisted golden goal, earning a 3-2 victory for her MRU Cougars.

Scout Anderson made 17 saves on 19 shots, while the MRU offense produced 35 shots in teh win. 

The MRU Cougars will play their final weekend series of the season against the Trinity Western University Spartans, starting on Friday, Feb. 14 at 7 p.m. at Flames Community Arena and live on Canada West TV.

MVB: Saturday, Feb. 8 vs Thompson Rivers University Wolfpack

With the taste of their Friday night loss still fresh in ther minds, the Cougars men’s volleyball team took on the TRU Wolfpack for their final matchup of the season, looking to exact revenge. The Cougars avoided a second consecutive sweep, but couldn’t earn a win as they took a 1-3 set loss in Kamloops on Saturday.

Unlike Friday’s loss, MRU came out strong in the first set, posting 16 kills on 23 attempts and only making one error on their way to a 65.2 per cent kill rate and 25-15 set win. However, that would be their only set win of the night as they lost the second set 20-25, posting just nine kills on 37 attacks. The Cougars lost the third set by the same 20-25 margin, posting 11 kills but conceding 13 and making five attack errors. MRU improved in the fourth set, scoring 13 kills to TRU’s 10, but lost the set 23-25 and conceded a 1-3 match loss.

Cody Hudson posted a game-high 17 kills, helped by Grant Hill’s 38 assists and furthered by Jovan Stepanovic’s three aces. Hill was also a dynamic defender, digging a game-high 16 attacks off the court and securing a team-high four blocks.

The MRU Cougars men’s volleyball team will be at home for the final weekend series of the season as they host the University of Alberta Golden Bears on Friday, Feb. 14 at 6 p.m. on Kenyon Court and live on Canada West TV.

WVB: Saturday, Feb. 8 vs Thompson Rivers University Wolfpack

After having their win streak snapped on Friday night, the MRU Cougars women’s volleyball team took on the TRU Wolfpack for their last matchup of the season and exacted revenge with a 3-2 victory in Kamloops on Saturday night.

It took all five sets for MRU to find the win against TRU, and the Cougars came out of the gates hot as they won the first set 25-19. However, TRU struck back in the second, handing the Cougars a huge 14-25 loss. The third set went well past the 25-point mark as both teams battled for superiority, with MRU emerging victorious by way of a 31-29 scoreline. TRU struck back in the fourth set, doling a 20-25 loss out to the Cougars and forcing a fifth set. MRU dominated in the final set of the match, forcing the Wolfpack to commit more attacking errors than kills on their way to a 15-9 set win and 3-2 match victory.

Emma Boyd was on fire once again, scoring 11 kills to lead the team in that category. Lexi Herrod dropped a whopping 40 assists and tied Mya Morgan and Sydney Scatcherd for a team-high two aces. Morgan also made an impact defensively, posting a team-best eight blocks, and Paige Davidson dug out a team-leading 14 attacks.

The MRU Cougars women’s volleyball team will play their final weekend series of the season at home against the University of Alberta Golden Bears on Friday, Feb. 14 at 8 p.m. on Kenyon Court and live on Canada West TV.