CALGARY – Meaghan Mealy, Avery Heppell and Meaghan Mealey all finished with double-digit kills to help lead the Trinity Western Spartans to a 3-1 (25-14, 14-25, 25-19, 25-20) victory over the Mount Royal Cougars Sunday in the gold medal game at the 2022 U SPORTS Women's Volleyball Championship from the Jack Simpson Gym.
 
The win gives the Spartans and head coach Ryan Hofer their second National Championship in program history, with their first coming back in the 2014-15 campaign.  
  
Heppell, who was named Championship MVP, led the team with 15.5 points as she finished with 11 kills and led the team in blocks with seven. Purdy led the Spartans in kills with 13, while Olivia Heinen dished out 36 assists. The Cougars were led offensively by Haley Roe who had a game-high 15 kills in a losing effort. Mount Royal's Nyadholi Thokbuom equaled Heppell's block total with seven of her own.   
 
After the first two sets were somewhat lopsided for either side, the third and fourth sets were much tighter throughout. The Spartans managed to be a touch cleaner on their attacks, as their 0.228 hitting percentage for the match topped the Cougars' 0.147.
 
Trinity Western had to play in a hostile environment twice en route to taking home their championship as along with Sunday's final, they played the host Calgary Dinos in their opening match of the tournament on Friday. But this Spartans squad persevered throughout and proved to everyone why they were the No. 1 ranked team coming into the tournament.
 
NOTABLE

• TWU has played in 12 national championship tournaments since 2005-06, tonight's match is the fourth  gold medal championship match, while tonight marked the first time that the Cougars have played for a U SPORTS national title.
• The Spartans won their last national championship in 2014-15 when they defeated the Alberta Pandas 3-2 in Toronto.
• TWU finished the night hitting .228 (56-23-145), while MRU hit at .147 (41-22-129).
• The Cougars had a 12-11 edge in blocks, while both teams had three service aces and 55 digs each.
• Mikasa Top Performers Presented by Team Nike: Mount Royal Cougars: #12 Hayley Roe, Trinity Western Spartans: #12 Avery Heppell.
• Championship MVP: Avery Heppell TWU, All-stars: Savannah Purdy TWU, Ansah Odoom TWU, Haley Roe MRU, Quinn Pelland MRU, Kory White Alberta, Victoria Iannotti McGill.

QUOTABLE
TWU Head Coach Ryan Hofer
"It's been a long hard journey, and I think every team in the country would say that and I wish every team could experience this after a really hard couple of years. I'm really proud of the hard work and the courage and the resilience that these girls showed and that every team showed here at this tournament."
 
On the game
"They were just getting used to what it felt like to be in a national championship in the first set. Then they pushed back and we had to get used to our nerves in that process too. They are a great volleyball team. And once we both got through that then it became really good volleyball."
 
On the intensity and focus in the match
"In championship matches every single point matters. It doesn't matter how that point is scored, you have to be dialed in and you have to be focused. It is exhausting hard work, especially in a championship match. It takes a remarkable group of girls to be able to be that focused throughout the entire match."
 
TWU Middle and tournament MVP: Avery Heppell
"We definitely won this together. I'm full of so many thoughts and emotions right now. What a way to end off a career. Winning with people that I love and just love to celebrate with and spend time with. And we spend a lot of time together.
 
"But to be as together as we are and to love each other as much as we do, it just feels like an honour to go out and play with them every day. And to come out and work our butts off and grind and show grit and a good attitude and have fun and fill our hearts with love and joy throughout the game just was the best experience."
 
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.

Mikasa:
As the Exclusive Volleyball Supplier of U SPORTS, Mikasa will provide match balls, as well as other prizing to the U SPORTS Men's Volleyball Championship and the U SPORTS Women's Volleyball Championship in 2022.
 
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