Max Heppell and Cam Vanderveen would combine for 24 kills on Saturday night but it wouldn’t be enough in the five-set marathon against the Saskatchewan Huskies.
In a match that featured momentum swings throughout, it was the Huskies who took the match in the fifth, capturing the final frame (15-5) for the victory.
READ MORE: Heat defeat Huskies in five-set nail biter
While both Heppel and Vanderveen played well in the offensive end, it was Shawn Zao who provided the spark on the night. Zhao, who was seeing playing time for the first time all conference season, came off the bench and registered five kills on five attacks.
“Shawn is a great kid, he’s been with us for a couple of years and the thing I like about him the most is he just cares a ton,” said Heat head coach Brad Hudson following Saturday night’s game.
“He has had two months training with the other guys and he wasn’t overwhelmed in the moment and he embraced it. You can see glimpses of what we are capable of doing. It’s just a matter of time before our group learns to sustain those moments.”
The Huskies hit .302 as a team in the match, compared to .079 for the Heat. The Huskies’ block also made it tough on the Heat all night long, racking up 13 total blocks to the home team’s eight.
UBCO will get their bye week next weekend, but will return to action against the Brandon Bobcats on the road in two weeks time.
READ MORE: Moalin’s 20 point night not enough to beat Cascades
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daniel.taylor@kelownacapnews.com
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