WOLFPACK WIN SIXTH OF THE SEASON IN A FIVE SET DECISION
(Kelly Asleson on the left and Marisa Koch on the right got some game action in this one)
For immediate release: February 6, 2009
Kamloops, BC—It wasn’t one of their most classic victory, but the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack women’s volleyball team sent the fans home happy. The WolfPack continued to improve on their franchise record for wins. They notched their sixth of the Canada West season with a five set victory over the University of Regina Cougars. The scores were 25-23,25-14,18-25,20-25,15-8.
“It’s the same thing that we have fought every match we’ve played this year,” said WolfPack head coach Cal Wohlford referring to his teams collapse in the third set. “We come out, we perform, we are out there and execute things. We put pressure on a team and we transform into another team. Even in the fifth set, I turned to them and I said “I don’t know who is going to win this set. I don’t know who is going to show up the Good WolfPack team or the Bad one.” In the fifth set, it was a bit of both.”
In that third set, Thompson Rivers (now 6-13)went down early 4-2 but rallied on an Anna Dyakiewicz (2nd year, outside hitter, Burnaby, BC) kill to tie things at six. At 10-10, Regina (now 9-10)rolled off five straight points to take a lead they would never relinquish. Their turnaround coincided with the insertion of 3rd year outside hitter Lisa Abrahamowicz (Regina, Sask). She came up with some key kills and wound up with a game high 19. She added 12 digs.
The 5 th set saw the score see saw until a Michella Domo kill at the net gave TRU a 6-5 lead. Domo (2nd year, middle, New Westminster, BC) was named the ‘Subway Leader of the Pack” player of the game for some key blocks and kills. She wound up with 11 kills, 4 digs and 6 block assists.
“I always talk about players who make mistakes but step up and do things,” Wohlford explained about Domo. “ She made some really bad mistakes. But then she turned around and made some great plays and answered back all the time. She came up with some key blocks. Those are the things that make a difference. Those are the players who will take this program and make it a success.”
The WolfPack had four players in double figures in kills led by Dyakiewicz and Richelle Walton (5 th year, outside hitter, Langley, BC) with 14 a piece. Setter Stine Christainsen (2nd year, Ribe, Denmark) had 45 assists. Laura Plouffe (5 th year, libero, Sherwood Park, Alta) had 18 digs.
Aside from Abrahamowicz, Regina had double figure kills from three other players including Beth Clark (4 th year, Middle, Regina, Sask) with 14. Setter Tiffany Herman (2nd year, Craven, Sask) had 45 assists. Tammy Jule (5 th year, outside hitter, Regina, Sask) had 22 digs.
The two teams close out their Canada West Regular Season Saturday (Feb 7) at the Tournament Capital Center starting at 7 pm. It’ll be the swan song for the WolfPack’s two fifth year players: Plouffe and Walton who will be honoured in a pre game ceremony.
DIGS AND BLOCKS: Wohlford brought in Kelly Asleson (2nd year, outside hitter, Richmond, BC) off the bench to score the winning point in the first set. In the 2nd, he inserted 1st year outside hitter Marisa Koch (Grobenzell, Germany). Wohlford on that move: “ Marisa isn’t going to be here next year. She dressed today because one of our other players was sick. We had a comfortable lead and it was a great opportunity to get her in. She has always given us a spark on the bench.” Koch is an International Student who walked on and made the club. She extended her student exchange so she could spend the whole season with the WolfPack.
TRU raised 350 dollars for the local Parkinson’s Disease support group through a 50/50 draw and silent auction.