LANGLEY, British Columbia. – A solid team effort gave the No. 4 Trinity Western Spartans a 3-1 win and a weekend split with the No. 7 Thompson Rivers WolfPack Saturday afternoon at the Langley Events Centre in Langley, B.C. The 25-17, 18-25, 25-23, 25-19 win improves the Spartans to 8-4, while the loss drops the WolfPack to 11-3.
 
Fourth-year outside Maryn Boldon (Okotoks, Alta.) with 14 kills and 16 digs, second-year middle Emma Graca (Surrey, B.C.) with nine kills, three blocks, and two digs, and fifth-year middle (Sherwood Park, Alta.) with eight kills, 10 digs, and four blocks led the Spartans. Rida Erialelitepe, with 17 kills and 10 digs, and Hail Ward, with 15 kills, 12 digs, four blocks, and two aces, led the WolfPack.
 
TWU second-year setter Tayana Dmitruk (Surrey, B.C.) and fourth-year setter Sydney Gill (St. Catharines, Ont.) ran the Spartan attack, finishing with 32 and eight set assists, respectively. TRU's Libby Meldrum ran the WolfPack's offence and finished with 40 set assists.
 
UP NEXT
The Spartans will now hit the road to take on the Brandon Bobcats on January 16 and 17 in Brandon, Man. Game times are set for 7:45 p.m. (CT) and 6:45 p.m. (CT) and can be seen live on Canada West TV.
 
QUOTABLE
Ryan Hofer, TWU Head Coach
"Really proud of the team's response this evening. They raised their level in a few aspects of the game that made a significant difference. really pleased with their ability to move on after each and every rally, regardless of winning or losing that rally, and getting all their attention on what's important now."
 
"Quick little shout out to our liberos, I thought both were outstanding tonight and showed great leadership in their phases of the game, Makayla on serve receive and Sofia Rader on defence."

AS IT HAPPENED
The opening set was even at 13-13. Then the Spartans pulled away with a 7-0 serving run by Boldon, giving TWU a 20-13 lead. The WolfPack were unable to close the gap as the Spartans took the opening set 25-17. TWU hit at .343 (13-1-35), while TRU hit at .205 (14-6-39).
 
Thompson Rivers started the second set with a 10-3 run to take a quick seven-point lead. TWU cut the deficit to three points, 18-15, with a 12-8 run. But the Spartans were unable to get closer as the WolfPack evened the match with a 25-18 win. The Spartans hit at .081 (9-6-37), while the WolfPack hit at .286 (14-4-35).
 
The third set was even throughout the set, with the two teams still tied at 18-18. TWU was able to get a two-point lead, 23-21, after a Plouffe kill, but TRU was able to tie the set at 23-23 after Ward found the floor for the WolfPack. After a Spartan timeout, the WolfPack committed back-to-back errors to give TWU the third set 25-23, and a 2-1 set lead. TWU finished the set hitting at .116 (11-6-43), while TRU .091 (13-9-44).
 
The Spartans were dominant through the final set. TWU was in full control, leading 16-8, midway through the set. The Spartans expanded their lead to 10 points, 21-11, and looked to be on their way to an easy win. But the WolfPack rallied and used a 7-1 run to cut the Spartans' lead to four points, trailing 22-18, as TWU took the timeout to slow the WolfPack down. The timeout proved effective, as the Spartans closed out the set 25-19 and took the match 3-1.
 
NOTABLE

• The Spartans finished the night hitting at .180 (46-19-150), while the WolfPack finished at .167 (52-27-150).
• TRU had the edge in blocks 10-8 and digs 70-65. Both teams had five service aces.
• The Spartans are currently 51-9 lifetime against the TRU WolfPack. Last season, the WolfPack swept the Spartans, winning 3-2 and 3-1 in Kamloops, B.C. Snapping a Spartan 10-game conference game winning streak.
• The Spartans lost in straight sets Friday night to the WolfPack.
• TRU was on a seven-match winning streak. Prior to this afternoon, the WolfPack's last loss was 3-2 to the UBC Thunderbirds on November 8.

 
About Spartan Athletics
As official members of U SPORTS, the Spartans currently compete in 11 sports in the Canada West conference, including women's and men's soccer, volleyball, basketball, hockey and track & field, as well as women's rugby sevens. TWU also competes as in the NAIA in track and field and cross country and as an independent team in men's rugby and women's and men's disc golf. Since TWU entered U SPORTS in 1999, the Spartans have won 14 U SPORTS team championships and 33 Canada West team championships.

About Trinity Western University
Recognized for quality, TWU has received seven consecutive A+ rankings for Quality of Teaching and Learning, holds three Canada Research Chairs, and wins national championships in U SPORTS. More importantly, lives are changed at TWU through its whole-person, Christ-centred approach to education. With a wide array of undergraduate, graduate, and adult degree-completion programs, TWU equips leaders of character and competence to make a positive impact in the lives of others.  
 
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