Box Score CALGARY – The third set showed they could play with the No. 2 team in the nation, but the University of Calgary Dinos couldn't force a fourth and fell 3-0 (25-27, 25-16, 30-28) to the Brandon Bobcats Saturday night to wrap up their 2013-14 Canada West season.
After dropping the first two sets by relatively lopsided scores, the Dinos came to fight in what ended up as the final set of their season. Back and forth the teams went as the score climbed higher and higher, and both teams had opportunities to end it, and in the end the Bobcats were just that much better as they defeated the young Dinos 30-28.
Calgary finishes 5-17 on the year and out of the playoffs, while second-ranked Brandon wraps up the campaign at 17-5 and will host a best-of-three Canada West quarterfinal next weekend.
Dinos head coach Natalie Gurnsey was happy with the fight her youthful squad showed to end an up-and-down season.
Ali Wooley was Calgary's offensive leader with 11 kills, while Janna Ogle continued her impressive play with a 10-kill, 12-dig night. Playing libero, Maura Hayes led the Dinos with 15 digs, while Woolley also had a dozen defensive ups as well.
But a quartet of Bobcats hit double-digits in kills as part of a 51-37 advantage overall in that department for Brandon. Vaovia Aiono's 11 kills led the way, with
Victoria Dakin,
Shanlee McLennan, and
Meaghan Robertson chipping in 10 apiece. Veteran libero
Donata Huebert's 19 digs was a match high, and McLennan was solid defensively with 18 digs as well.
Brandon clinched second place in the conference with the victory and will play host to a best-of-three quarterfinal next weekend against the UBC-Okanagan Heat.
Game one is scheduled for Thursday, February 13 at 7:00 pm. Game two is scheduled for Friday, February 14 at 7:00 pm, while game three (if necessary) is scheduled for Saturday, February 15 at 7:00 pm.
The winner will advance to UBC and the Canada West Final Four.