Huskies Hang On for Five-Set Victory Over UBCO

SASKATOON, Sask. – After jumping out to a two sets to none lead, the Saskatchewan Huskies hung on to earn a five set victory over the visiting UBC Okanagan Heat on Friday night (Jan 31) by a final score of three sets to two (25-20, 25-22, 21-25, 25-27, 15-7). 

Aided by a season-high 15.5 total blocks, the win pushes Saskatchewan’s record above .500 to 9-8 on the season as the Huskies have now won 6 of their last 7 games and currently sit 7th in the Canada West. 

For UBC Okanagan, the loss marks their sixth straight as the Heat now drop to 4-11 on the season and currently cling to the 10th and final playoff spot in the Canada West. 

As she has done for most of the Huskies’ season, Taryn Hannah continued to produce for the Dogs. The third-year hitter led Saskatchewan with twenty points, converting on 27 percent of her attacks by earning 17 kills while also adding three total blocks and one ace to her stat line. After tonight’s action, the third-year Business student now sits third in the Canada West in kills per set with 3.76.

Hannah also found support from teammates, Rosetta Cyr and Julia Howell-Bourner who contributed with 13 and 12.5 points, respectively. Cyr contributed with ten kills and two solo blocks, while Howell-Bourner chimed in with eight kills and four total blocks, both season-highs for the Saskatoon product.

For UBCO, the Heat were led by Olivia Boulding, who earned 20 points on the night, converting 16.7 percent of her attacks into a game-high 18 kills. The top performer for Heat also added three assists, one block and one service ace to her stat sheet. 

After nabbing the first two sets, the Huskies were met by a re-focused Heat squad in the third, who despite having ten attack errors in the frame, managed to take the set 25-21 thanks to 15 kills for UBCO, compared to only seven for the Huskies. 

In the fourth, UBCO saw an early 12-7 lead slip away as kills from Hannah and Howell-Bourner helped the Huskies rattle-off six straight points to earn a one point advantage at 13-12. However, Saskatchewan’s rally could not help to overcome the Dogs’ 11 attack errors in the frame as the Heat went on to take the set 27-25. 

With the match now knotted at two sets apiece and UBCO eager to complete the comeback and snap their winless streak, the Dogs bit back by taking the first five points in the fifth. The Huskies then continued to pull away, winning six of the next nine points to extend their lead to 11-3. UBCO would attempt to close the gap by rallying to earn the next three straight points, however the Dogs’ lead was too much to overcome as Sasktchewan sealed the victory on Hannah’s final kill of the evening to take the set 15-7. 

With only three regular season games remaining, Saskatchewan is hoping to continue their momentum and move up at least one more spot in the standings to avoid the Canada West play-in round. 

Saskatchewan and UBCO will do it all over again Saturday afternoon (Feb 1) with first serve set for 4:30PM on Ron and Jane Graham Centre Court at the PAC.