Cougars drop four-set decision to visiting Dinos

Max Campbell, Mount Royal Cougars Sports Information

CALGARY, AB – The Mount Royal Cougars men's volleyball team fell to the Calgary Dinos in four sets (25-21, 21-25, 25-22, 25-22) on Friday night at Kenyon Court in the latest instalment of the Crowchild Classic.

Calgary led by a score of 8-3 at the game's first timeout before cutting the deficit to two just minutes later thanks to a series of stellar defensive plays. But despite three kills and three blocks from Mount Royal's Tyler Schmidt, the Dinos would not be denied in the initial set, narrowly claiming a four-point win, 25-21.

Although the Cougars took an early lead in the second set, Calgary would soon come roaring back. Eventually tied at 18 apiece, the home team then scored seven of the next 10 points as the set was finished off with a Michael Wickstrom kill courtesy Samuel Brisbane, giving Mount Royal the 25-21 win.

A back-and-forth third set featured four service aces, including one from Mount Royal's second-year setter Tanner Greaves. The Cougars would manage a hitting percentage of just .160 compared to Calgary's .229 figure en route to the falling behind two sets to one.

In the fourth, Keith West of the Dinos managed to keep a point alive for the visitors with a pass off his foot in front of the score table as Calgary inched closer to closing out the match. Just as Mount Royal appeared to be mounting a comeback, Calgary scored point No. 25 to conclude the contest.

The Cougars now sit below the .500 mark at 8-9 after Friday evening's showdown while Calgary's seventh consecutive victory gave them their 16th win against a mere three defeats.

The two sides will square off once again on Saturday night from the Dinos' Jack Simpson Gym at 5:30 pm with Mount Royal looking to split the home-and-home weekend series.