Image Credit: UBCO
October 24, 2016 - 2:00 PM
CANMORE, AB -- The UBC Okanagan women’s volleyball team travelled to Canmore to train and compete in two matches with and against the University of Alberta. The three day event began Friday, October 21 and went through Sunday, October 23.With the three days open to scrimmages and preseason games, the Friday night started off with a five set match.With the Heat coming into the weekend with a perfect record, the first set began with tough competition as the Heat won (25-22). The Pandas finding more of their rhythm in the second and third sets, Alberta was able to take (27-25) and (25-11) wins and push the match into the fourth. With the Heat able to match the Pandas in the fourth (25-23), the match went to a fifth and final set, which the Pandas won, (15-6).
With the Pandas claiming the first win of the weekend, the Heat took their first loss of the 2016/17 preseason campaign.
On Saturday morning both teams competed in scrimmages and practice before the second match of the weekend.
On Saturday night the teams went head to head for the second time. The Heat were once again unable to take a set, and lost to the Pandas in a three set sweep (26-24, 25-19, 25-22).
With their only two losses coming in the final weekend of preseason, head coach Steve Manuel said, "This was a great weekend of final preparation for us. Alberta is a solid and well polished team and it was great for us to see where we match up. We had an extremely busy preseason and I feel like we are well prepared for the upcoming league opener. We have a very different looking team this season and it was important for us to test this group and figure out what we are all about. I'm extremely proud of our leadership group and very excited to see the progress that our young players are making as well."
With the pair of losses, the Heat's record drops to (7-2).
With the final weekend of the preseason wrapped up the Heat will be looking to return to their winning ways in their home gym, as they will defend it for the first time in the upcoming regular season against Brandon University on Friday, Oct. 28 and Saturday, Oct. 29. The first game will start Friday at 6 p.m. in the UBC Okanagan gymnasium. The second will be played Saturday at 5 p.m.
News from © iNFOnews, 2016