LANGLEY, B.C. – Trinity Western and Brandon will play a series-deciding Game 3 in the Canada West semifinals after the Bobcats edged the Spartans in a five-set thriller, winning 3-2 (25-23, 21-25, 27-25, 19-25, 16-14) Friday at the Langley Events Centre.
 
Mason Metcalf won the match with a game-winning block in the fifth set to seal the win for Brandon, as the defending Canada West Champion Bobcats will play the defending national champion
 
Eric Loeppky had a team-high 22 kills, while Jackson Howe added 11 kills hitting .562. Jacob Kern and Derek Epp each had nine digs for the Spartans, with Epp adding 52 assists. 
 
Robin Baghdady led the way for the Bobcats, posting 18 kills, three service aces and four digs, while Elliott Viles had 16 kills and five digs for defending Canada West champion Brandon. 
 
Both teams opened the first set evenly, trading leads frequently with a total of 17 tie scores. Despite a tie score at 23-23, kills from Baghdady and Warkentin sealed the first set for the Bobcats. 
 
After a 3-3 score in the second set, kills from Loeppky and Jesse Elser gave the Spartans a 5-3 edge. TWU would hold the lead for the rest of the way to take the second set 25-21 and tie the game up 1-1. 
 
After the Spartans opened the third set on a 16-10 run to take a commanding lead, the Bobcats went on a 10-4 run of their own to tie the game back up. Brandon would then edge out the Spartans by two points late to take a 2-1 lead in the match. 
 
On the brink of losing Game 2, the Spartans came out strong in the fourth set, jumping out to a 12-6 lead. The Spartans would then lead the rest of the way, highlighted by five kills and a block from Howe before taking the fourth 25-19. 
 
Despite both teams trading points up to a 10-10 tie in the fifth set, the Bobcats would close out the match with a 16-14 fifth set victory.
 
Brandon held a 12.5 to 9.5 edge in team blocks.