EDMONTON – No. 1 ranked Trinity Western battled with the No. 7 ranked UBC Thunderbirds in Friday's Canada West Semi-Final tilt at the Saville Community Sports Centre, winning 3-0 (25-23, 25-17, 25-11). With this win, the Spartans advance to Saturday's Canada West Championship game against No. 4 Alberta.
 
First-team CW all-star Savannah Purdy (Victoria) and Meaghan Mealey (Calgary) were TWU's standouts, recording 11 and 12 kills respectively. They were part of an efficient attack, run by setter Olivia Heinen (Langley, B.C.) who paced the game with 28 assists as the Spartans finished with a remarkable .405 hitting percentage.
 
The Thunderbirds were uncharacteristically poor on the attack this afternoon, after ranking second in the CW in playoff kills to this point. They finished with a .120 hitting percentage after being shut down by a phenomenal TWU blocking phase. Middle Jayde Robertsen and First Team All-Star outside hitter Clara Kovacs were bright spots for the TBirds, with the former finishing with five kills and an ace.
 
AS IT HAPPENED
The first set was a remarkable continuation of the close battles these two squads have had in the regular season. Mealey was dominant for the West division champion Spartans, recording four kills in five swings before the technical timeout and finishing with a set-high seven kills. For the TBirds, Kovacs paced the starters with 4 kills on seven attacks. Both attacks were outstanding in the frame recording north of a .180 hitting percentage; however, the Spartans defence was more effective, out-digging UBC 10-6 and finishing the frame with five total blocks. The Spartans would outlast the Thunderbirds in a close 25-23 victory. Notably, the squads finished with four service errors apiece, a large departure from a typically strong area for both teams.
 
The Spartans jumped to an 8-5 lead in the second set as an airtight blocking phase did a significant amount of damage against UBC's talented attackers. TWU proceeded to eventually expand their lead to 23-13, and although a late surge by the Thunderbirds forced the Spartans into a timeout, the set wrapped itself up at a 25-17 set victory to take a 2-0 hold over the match.
 
Yet another commanding start was in the cards for the leading Spartans, moving to a 15-8 lead early in the third set. Canada West First Team All-Star Avery Heppell (Langley, B.C.) recorded four kills in this run, and the Thunderbirds could not seem to get into a good rhythm. The Spartans would make quick work of the UBC squad to finish the third set with a resounding 25-11 victory, and a sweep of the Thunderbirds.
 
NOTABLE

• An incredibly efficient night of hitting wrapped up with the Spartans hitting .405 as a team in Friday's match. The Spartans relied heavily on Mealey (.500, 20 attempts) and Heppell (.778, 9 attempts), who went errorless.
• TWU is 2-1 against Alberta on the season. The Spartans fell to the Pandas in last weekend's Canada West Playoff tilt, which secured Alberta their hosting rights for this weekend's Final Four.
• TWU's night hitting .405 as a team stands as their most efficient night as a team in their Canada West Playoff history, and second most in playoffs including nationals.

 
UP NEXT
The Spartans take on the No. 4 ranked Alberta Pandas in tomorrow's Canada West Championship match (3 p.m., MT).
 
About Spartan Athletics
As official members of U SPORTS, the Spartans currently compete in 13 sports in the Canada West conference, including women's and men's soccer, volleyball, basketball, hockey, cross country and track & field, as well as women's rugby sevens. TWU also competes as an independent team in men's rugby. Since TWU entered U SPORTS in 1999, the Spartans have won 12 U SPORTS team championships and 29 Canada West team championships.
 
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