Clutch points elude Griffins in straight sets defeat at hands of the Heat
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
21 | 22 | 17 | 0 |
|
|
25 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
Team Stats
UBCO
| Game Statistics | MacEwan University | UBCO |
|---|---|---|
| Hitting % | .090 | .188 |
| Blocks | 5.0 | 12.0 |
| Digs | 39 | 48 |
| Aces | 3 | 7 |
Jefferson Hagen
MacEwan Athletics
KELOWNA, B.C. – Execution in key moments was the culprit behind the Griffins women's volleyball team's straight-sets loss at the hands of the UBC Okanagan Heat on Friday afternoon.
The Griffins went down to a 3-0 defeat (25-21, 25-22, 25-17) in front of a packed house of 950, including more than 800 kids enjoying the Heat's annual 'School Day' celebration.
"We were disappointed in the performance at key moments when we needed to buckle down and take care of some business," said Griffins head coach Chris Wandler. "There was not enough care for that, let's put it that way."
With the result, the Griffins fell to 1-4 on the campaign, while UBCO improved to 2-3.
Veteran setter Payton Shimoda led the Griffins with 22 assists, but MacEwan's error-filled attack hit at just .090 per cent during the match. Kara Frith was the top attacker with 11 kills on a .200 hitting percentage to go along with 10 digs.
"Payton did a fantastic job of distributing balls in hittable zones and we didn't do a good enough job of just passing the ball tonight," said Wandler. "She ran like a country mile trying to put her attackers in good spots."
The moment that encapsulates the Griffins' struggles came late in the second set. MacEwan took a 22-21 lead off Anika Buys' kill and seemed to be on their way to tying the match until the wheels fell off and they conceded a 4-0 run to drop it.
"In the second set, we had the lead," said Wandler. "I think it was inside of 22 points and we had three unforced errors – bang, bang, bang – right in a row. We gave the set away. Just a lack of focus.
"It's not anything technical or tactical, it's being able to execute at a high level when times matter. That's what kind of got us today."
UBCO is certainly a team the Griffins have the capability of beating, so Wandler is hoping to see his squad buckle down more on the clutch points in Saturday's rematch (3:30 p.m. MT, Canada West TV).
"This is a team that's in our wheelhouse and we need to show up with a better sense of confidence and energy when those points matter and be able to execute at a high level," he said. "No one's going to lay down for you. You've got to be able to outwill teams.
"It's a confidence that you're able to do it," he added. "That you've prepared every day this week for this particular match and 'I've done as much work as I can.' Trust in that and go execute it. That's what I'm looking for."
