Jefferson Hagen, MacEwan Athletics
-With files from UBCO Athletics
KELOWNA, B.C. – After their worst set loss of the season to kick off Friday's match at the UBC-Okanagan Heat, MacEwan Griffins head coach Ken Briggs made some changes.
In went backup setter Mackenzie Oshanek-Gladue for starter Kylie Schubert and in went backup right-side Joslyn Peters for starter Carly Weber.
They spearheaded MacEwan's dominant play the rest of the way as the Griffins cruised to a 3-1 victory (11-25, 25-12, 25-12, 25-13) in Canada West women's volleyball action.
"We were so bad in the first set that it's like in hockey when they hook the goalie to try to change the game," said Briggs. "That's what we did. (We had) full intention to maybe go back, but they rolled. And good for them. That's why we have a team."
Oshanek-Gladue finished with a game-high 27 assists, while Peters had nine kills on .500 hitting efficiency, three services aces and three blocks, accounting for 13.5 points – second on the team behind Haley Gilfillan's 14. MacEwan's fifth-year middle added nine kills and three aces. Lauren Holmes had 10 kills.
"The substitutions – Mackenzie and Jocelyn – came in in the last three sets and just did a good job," said Briggs. "They just kind of settled things down and they got to get some valuable minutes out there."
It proved to be a valuable test of the Griffins' depth and allowed them to play out an unexpected scenario after only scoring 11 points in the opening set against a team well below them in the standings.
"The more uncomfortable we are sometimes … we're going to run into those situations as we go," noted Briggs. "To be able to flip around a game when only put up 11 in the first set and be able to spin that around in the second set is just showing the maturity of this group."
Heat head coach Steve Manuel was disappointed with the loss but was proud of his young team for stepping up to the plate.
"We were playing with first and second-year players, against fourth and fifth years, but they were playing hard," he said.
MacEwan's shockingly cold start included giving up 24 of the final 31 points in the opening set.
"We didn't come out very mentally prepared," said Briggs. "Then it became a serving contest. We weren't very good in the first set.
"The next three sets, we served them off the court and they were out of system all the time. We just kind of took control."
With the result, the Griffins improved to 15-6, but the victory was really just about keeping up with the Jones'. Alberta beat Calgary to improve to 13-6 and remain on their heels for fourth place and the first-round playoff bye that comes with it.
Saskatchewan, however, lost to Mount Royal University and fell to 12-7. Third-place Thompson Rivers University (15-5) is on a bye before they visit MacEwan Feb. 7-8 in a crucial showdown for playoff positioning.
As for the task at hand, MacEwan will try for the weekend sweep over UBCO in Saturday's rematch (5 p.m. MT, Canada West TV presented by Co-op).
