Langley’s Trinity Western University Spartans women’s volleyball team has officially won their fifth – and third consecutive – Canada West Championship with a 3-1 victory over Alberta Pandas at the Saville Community Sports Centre on Saturday.
It was as close as a four-set victory could be, with the overall score margin falling at just 13 in favour of the Spartans. TWU recorded 52 digs to Alberta’s 44, and added six blocks in an impressive defensive performance.
With Langley’s Olivia Heinen orchestrating a stellar Spartans offence, all five of TWU’s outside hitters and middles were able to make at least 10 kills. Led by Ansah Odoom’s 13, this performance stands as a very impressive one for the Spartans in their fifth Canada West Championship.
TWU Head Coach Ryan Hofer said the team “tried to play every match with a full heart and to not let the pressures of the outside; wins, losses, and impressing people affect our play. We wanted to be able to play free for each other and to enjoy this opportunity.
“I feel fortunate that kills can come from anywhere on the court, not just the middle, and it creates a little depth for us to be able to move our players around depending on how our opponent is playing,” Hofer added.
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Trinity Western opened the game on a heater; leading 16-9 at the technical timeout and showcasing their immense depth with five players recording a kill and ten seeing the court.
The Pandas quickly found a groove, however, and responded with a 7-1 run to get back into the frame. White recorded three kills in the stretch with setter Justine Kolody running an efficient offence.
The set would inch towards a conclusion, with the Spartans eventually closing out a 25-22 victory.
The second set featured a scorching Spartan attack led by Mikayla Benterud and Odoom that swung at a .467 clip at the break. While the Pandas were clean in terms of errors, they could not make it past Langley’s Avery Heppell and Kaylee Plouffe, who challenged every attack at the net. Benterud was phenomenal in the second, going a perfect five-for-five on the attack and adding a block for good measure.
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The third set was the best of the day, with both offences fully warmed up and showing it. The teams combined for an insane cumulative hitting percentage of .454.
The Spartans would win the set 25-19 and the title with it.
Next up, a trip Calgary and the U SPORTS Championships on Friday.
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