Image Credit: Andrew Snucins

By Victor Kaisar

WolfPack Volleyball Recap

Wolfpack men keep playoff hopes alive; women return to winning ways after mini-slump

Feb 8, 2025 | 9:38 AM

KAMLOOPS — It was a winning start to the weekend for both TRU WolfPack volleyball teams as they hosted the Mount Royal Cougars Friday (Feb. 7) night.

The WolfPack men kept their playoff hopes alive with a 3-0 (25-18, 27-25, 27-25) win over the Cougars at the Tournament Capital Centre (TCC). The win moves TRU to 5-12 on the season, and into a tie with the Cougars with three games left.

Sam Flowerday and Matthew Hamilton finished with 14 kills each on Friday night, while Rylan Ibbetson added 13 kills and a pair of aces. Flowerday also finished with a pair of aces, while Hamilton hit .500 per cent in the game.

“I thought our guys came out to play,” Head Coach Pat Hennelly said. “We got tight for some reason at really weird times, but I think the implications of tonight’s game were weighing on both teams – we both knew that we had to win.”

“We still have a modicum of control which is nice for as bad as our season has been, we have to win out. We needed that one, so job done first night.”

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Following this afternoon’s rematch at the TCC, the WolfPack will host the 7-10 Brandon Bobcats (who sit ninth) in their final games of the season next weekend, while Mount Royal will host the 13-4 Alberta Golden Bears.

Both TRU and Mount Royal are two wins back of tenth place Fraser Valley, which has a 7-11 record. The eighth place Calgary Dinos also have a 7-11 record, and like the Cascades, they’re off this weekend. The Dinos face the 1-16 MacEwan Griffins while UFV plays the 13-4 UBC Thunderbirds next weekend.

The top ten teams will qualify for Canada West playoffs.

The WolfPack women also snapped a four game losing streak with a 3-0 win (25-15, 25-20, 25-14) of their own Friday night.

The win moved the playoff bound WolfPack into a tie with the Cougars for fifth-place in the conference. Both teams have 11-6 records with three game left to play.

Brooklyn Olfert had a game-high 13 kills as she hit .522 per cent in the match. Maria Dancheva added eight kills, five digs, two block assists and two aces, while Rida Erlalelitepe added eight digs, seven kills and a team-high four serving aces.

Kate Lamothe also chipped in with a trio of aces to go along with her four kills and three block assists.

“Sport is a funny thing and sometimes a couple things go wrong and the sky is falling. We know that we know how to play volleyball and we hadn’t shown that as much as we would have liked,” Head Coach Chad Grimm said.

“It was nice for the girls to go out there and more than anything just prove to themselves that they are doing the right things and if they stick with the process that we will be fine.”

Saturday’s rematch at the TCC will begin with the men’s volleyball game at 3:00 p.m. followed by the women’s game at 4:45 p.m.