Friday night at Kenyon Court played host to volleyball’s edition of the Crowchild Classic, as the 4–12 Mount Royal Cougars squared off against the 6–10 University of Calgary Dinos. The Cougars entered the matchup riding momentum after sweeping the UBCO Heat at home the previous weekend, while the Dinos arrived with their playoff hopes still alive in a tightly contested Canada West division.
The opening set featured a back-and-forth exchange as both squads looked to establish the tone early. Strong rallies on both sides, combined with a pair of service aces from
Aurora Bentrim, gave Mount Royal a slim 10–8 edge. It was a collaborative start for the Cougars, with contributions coming from every player who stepped onto the court early. Calgary responded midway through the set, as Sophia Hansen and Kalyssa Komori helped trim the deficit to one at 18–17.
Calgary answered in the second set, racing out to a 9–2 advantage behind a strong blocking effort led by Narelle Arnold. Mount Royal chipped away and cut the deficit to three, but the Dinos maintained control down the stretch to even the match with a 25–19 victory.
With both teams aware of the importance of the third set, the early stages featured long rallies and momentum swings, leaving the score tied at 11–11. Ashley Ditchfield sparked a decisive run for Calgary, pushing the Dinos’ lead to as many as seven points. Mount Royal responded late, with Scatcherd and company trimming the deficit to 22–18, but Calgary held firm to take the set 25–19.
Mount Royal came out firing in the fourth set, as
Mya Morgan’s 10th kill of the night helped the Cougars jump out to an early 8–2 lead. Moments later,
Sydney Scatcherd added her 12th kill to push the advantage to 10–4 and force a Dinos timeout. Calgary answered with a strong surge of their own, reclaiming the lead at 14–13 following a Komori service ace.
The teams traded points down the stretch, deadlocked at 21 late in the set. Hansen, who finished with a match-high 17 kills, delivered in the closing moments as the Dinos edged the Cougars 25–22 to seal the victory.
Player of the Game: #3
Mya Morgan who contributed 11 kills on the night, along with a team-high three blocks.
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