U of S volleyball team off to best start since 1998
If there’s any team on the U of S campus needing a great start, it’s the women’s volleyball team.
The volleyball Huskies, coached by Jason Grieve, are 2-0 after sweeping the Univeristy of Alberta Pandas on the weekend.
Saskatchewan had not beaten Alberta in women’s volleyball since 1998 yet managed to beat the Pandas twice at the PAC with wins Saturday and Sunday.
The Pandas were ranked in the CIS Top 10 all of last season.
On Sunday, the Huskies dropped the first two sets yet rallied to win the next three to win 24-26, 23-25, 25-22, 25-9, 15-10 for the upset.
“The biggest thing this year is poise,” said setter Jina Barker. “We just decided that, if we’re going to go five, we might as well win.”
The Huskies start the Canada West season 2-0 for the first time since 1998.
Fifth-year Huskie hitter and captain Candace Hueser had a match-high 20 kills. Middle blocker Kayla Tycholiz added 12 for Saskatchewan, while Anne Hanbidge had 20 digs.
On Saturday, Saskatchewan shocked Alberta 25-23, 25-23, 25-21 for its first win over the Pandas in 15 years. It also marked the first time Saskatchewan opened the season with a win since 2002.
Hueser tallied 12 kills, while Tycholiz added another eight.
In men’s volleyball Sunday, the Huskies lost in three straight to the Alberta Golden Bears 18-25, 22-25, 23-25. Jordan Nowakowski led Saskatchewan with 13 kills.
The Dogs dropped a heartbreaker 25-23, 18-25, 25-14, 23-25, 18-20 to the Bears on Saturday. Bryan Fraser led the Huskies with 19 kills and 10 digs. Paul Thomson had 17 kills. Nowakowski and Braden McLean each tallied 10. McLean also had four solo blocks.
Soccer
In Canada West women’s soccer playoffs, Saskatchewan was eliminated Saturday following a 2-0 loss to the University of Trinity Western Spartans at Langley, B.C. It was the second year in a row the Huskies have lost the conference quarter-final after falling to Regina last year.
“It was a really tough game and credit to Saskatchewan because they played extremely well and extremely physical,” said Spartans coach Graham Roxburgh, whose defending CIS champion Spartans are unbeaten in their last 11 games.
In men’s soccer Saturday, the Winnipeg Wesmen scored four second- half goals in a 4-1 win over No. 7 ranked Huskies at Winnipeg.
Luigi Bekwayo had the lone goal for Saskatchewan, which still finishes first in the Prairie Division at 8-5-2.
The Huskies will travel to UBC for the Canada West Final Six and receive a bye into the semifinal.
Wrestling
The U of S wrestling team finished with six medals at the Dino Open, the first tournament of the season.
Shane Johnson (54-kilograms), 2013 CIS Second Team all-Canadian Dylan Bray ( 57- kg), Malcolm Meekins (72-kg), Annie Monteith (48-kg) and Victoria Kent (63-kg) all collected silver medals. Jacob Phillips won a bronze in the heavy weight class.