Women's volleyball rebounds to earn weekend split with Huskies

The UBC Okanagan Heat women's volleyball team put together a very strong performance on Saturday as they defeated the Saskatchewan Huskies in four sets, 25-10, 23-25, 25-18 and 25-15, to earn a split of their weekend series.

Outside hitters Amaya Perry, hailing from Chin, Alta., and Olivia Tymkiw, from Coldstream, B.C., dominated the court and set the tone for the Heat's victory on Saturday afternoon. Perry would open the match with a massive block to set the tone for her performance. The Heat's energy would dominate until a Huskies' timeout would break the Heat's serving run. However it was short lived as the Perry-Tymkiw duo would secure two massive kills. With a nine point advantage, the Heat's efforts propelled them to the first set victory, 25-10.

The two teams would alternate error points in the second set, until a mini run late in the set rewarded the Huskies with a set win 23-25 to square the match.

Perry, the fourth-year powerhouse, controlled the Heat's offence in the third set, locking down two crucial serving aces and kills for UBCO. The Heat would rack up five of their eight aces in the third set en route to a 25-18 victory.

W?? | S3

Amaya Perry steals the party-ball and the lead expands to two!!!!??????

1-1 #GoHeatGo #UBCOvsSASK pic.twitter.com/BNAakasMFI

- UBCO Heat (@UBCOHeat) November 19, 2023

Momentum would be in the Heat's favour to start the final set, as their hunger for the win would reward them with the opening seven points thanks to a strong team effort and two serving aces from Natalie Funk (Strathmore, Alta.) to hold the serving streak. The early run put any hope of a Huskies rally to bed as UBCO claimed the set 25-15 to win the match.

TOP PERFORMERS
Amaya Perry - UBCO
The fourth-year outside hitter dominated at the net, nailing down 15 kills with a .414 hitting percentage, two serving aces, two blocks, 12 digs and a total of 18 points for the Heat.

Keely Anderson - Saskatchewan
The third-year outside hitter and product of Outlook, Sask., led the Huskies in kills with a team high of 12, as well as finding 12 digs for a total of 13 points for the Huskies.

WHERE THEY SIT
Following the Saturday afternoon victory, the Heat move to a 4-4 record in the Canada West standings, sitting alone in eighth place, while the Huskies drop into a tie for sixth in the conference at 5-3.

UP NEXT
The Heat will play their final home games of 2023 next weekend when they host the U SPORTS No. 6-ranked Alberta Pandas (7-1) for a weekend doubleheader. Game one goes on Friday, November 24 with first serve set for 7 p.m.