Young Griffins see template of where they want to be in nationally-ranked Heat
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
20 | 14 | 15 | 0 |
|
|
25 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
Team Stats
MacEwan University
UBCO
| Game Statistics | MacEwan University | UBCO |
|---|---|---|
| Hitting % | .043 | .324 |
| Blocks | 5.0 | 13.0 |
| Digs | 26 | 37 |
| Aces | 1 | 4 |
Jefferson Hagen
MacEwan Athletics
KELOWNA, B.C. – While it was a tough lesson to learn – a 3-0 loss to the UBC Okanagan Heat on Friday night – the Griffins may have just seen the template they themselves can one day follow.
Now a nationally-ranked team (No. 7 in the country), the Heat lost 3-0 to the Griffins just three seasons ago with several of the same players, who are just older and stronger.
On Friday, the Griffins were the younger team with four rookies on the floor in the third set, ultimately learning some lessons as they fell 25-20, 25-14, 25-15.
"I do give UBCO a lot of credit," said Griffins head coach Brad Poplawski. "They were a bottom team four years ago when a lot of these guys who were on the floor are in their fourth and fifth years. They went from very bottom to a playoff team last year and now nationally-ranked.
"It's obviously what we'd like to do where we haven't had the success and we're trying to build it. It's about getting good people in the program and keeping good people in the program. Hopefully those guys learn from it as far as volleyball, but also a motivational piece."
With the result, the Griffins fall back to 0-5, while UBCO improves to 4-1.
Injuries played a factor in holding the Griffins back as they're already without three top players just five games into the 2025-26 season.
"We're in one right now," said Poplawski. "With Thompson Rivers taking out two of our starters and losing Austin (Westermeier-Ly), we're down a lot of guys. That was our fifth game of the year and our fifth different starting lineup. We're definitely tackling adversity right now in that way."
Still, they fought valiantly in the opening set.
"Ethan Pavone got his first start and, at times did some really good things," said Poplawski. "He took us on a big serving run in the first set that kept it close. I thought we had a pretty good first set numbers-wise – 12 kills, good hitting efficiency and we met our side out goal percentage-wise."
But it wasn't sustainable as the Griffins struggled to find the same level in Sets 2 and 3.
"In the second and third (sets), I thought we just didn't play with the same focus or intensity that maybe we've played with in the last couple weekends and kind of what we want our team identity to be," said Poplawski. "We struggled to solve problems, so I think we have to be able to learn from that.
"But at the same time, I had four first years on the floor. Long term, it was great experience. UBCO is a wagon this year – split with U of A last weekend and swept Manitoba. They're ranked one of the top 10 teams in the country, so they're obviously doing a lot of great things."
Kenneth Ang stood out for the Griffins with 15 assists before Poplawski put rookie setter Lincoln Pinchuk into the lineup to gain experience in the third set. He joined fellow rookies Fabian Breitenbach, Pavone and libero Solomon Flindall on the floor.
Breitenbach led the Griffins with eight kills and seven digs.
The teams will meet again on Saturday (5:30 p.m. MT, Canada West TV).
