MacEwan pulls off reverse sweep over Cougars

QUICKLY
The University of Regina’s women’s volleyball team won the opening two sets against MacEwan, but lost the next three on Saturday in Edmonton.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Despite missing Jordy McEachern from the lineup after the fourth-year outside hitter was injured on Friday, the Cougars came out strong in the opening set. They used an 8-1 run to build up a 12-4 lead and though MacEwan battled back to tie it on three separate occasions late, the Cougars never trailed. Regina got the final two points on a MacEwan service error and a Griffins attack error to take the first by a 25-23 margin.
• The second was close until the Cougars went on a huge late run. MacEwan led 13-12, but Regina got the next six points with Reese Evjen serving and took complete control of the set. The Cougars clinched a 25-17 win with another Griffins attack error.
• But MacEwan responded in a big way. The Griffins took a 25-18 win in the third, then cruised to a 25-14 win in the fourth to force a deciding set between the two teams for the second consecutive night.
• The Cougars started out the fifth with the first four points, forcing an early MacEwan timeout. But the Griffins got back into it with a 5-1 run, then took the lead with three straight points and never trailed again. MacEwan finished it off with an Alyshia Bryks kill, giving them a 15-12 win and GMU’s second win over the Cougars in as many nights.

NOTES

• The Cougars went into the match already without McEachern, then lost starting setter Cassadi Klapak in the third set. Halle Schutz finished the game at setter for the U of R.
• Samantha Krausher had a career-high 17 kills for Regina. Her previous career best was 11, set earlier this year in a four-set win over Calgary.
• Devyn Grimsrud added 13 kills for Regina while libero McKenzie Keibel had a match-leading 20 digs.

POSTSEASON RACE

• Regina falls to 4-12 on the season, but the Cougars remain alive in the hunt for one of the final postseason berths in Canada West. Trinity Western (6-10), UBC Okanagan (4-10), Calgary (4-12), and the Cougars are all in contention for the final two playoff spots.
• The Cougars will likely need to win at least three of their four final matches to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since the COVID-shortened 2021-22 season.

NEXT UP
The Cougars have their final regular season home matches next Friday and Saturday at the CKHS. They’ll entertain Fraser Valley, who will head into the weekend in first place in the Canada West standings.