Box Score
Away Games:

WVB: MRU (3) at ALB (2)

The Mount Royal Cougars finished the Canada West regular season strong with a five-set (23-25, 21-25, 25-14, 25-23, 15-12) reverse sweep thriller over the Alberta Pandas Saturday evening at the Saville Centre.

The loss leaves the Pandas with a final record of 16-2, good for a division title and #2 USPORTS national ranking.

For the #5 ranked Cougs, they round off the regular season at 14-4 and a second-place position in the Central. 

While the Pandas finish off a phenomenal CW campaign, the Cougars have clearly been a thorn on their side losing both games to the talented squad from Calgary.

Madison Marshall led the Cougs with 19 kills and Quinn Pelland finished with 54 assists in a good offensive showing for Mount Royal.

Both teams finished the first set with a hitting percentage of .333 in what was a very entertaining frame. 

The second set was another back-and-forth affair, with the Cougar attack outplaying their Alberta counterparts. However, Alberta would record an incredible six service aces in the set to win 25-21.

Marshall had a strong frame, recording a set-high four kills. Lauren Tremblay was the standout for the Pandas, hitting three kills to go along with two aces.

Pelland orchestrated a remarkable run to begin the third for the Cougars, heading into the media timeout up 16-6. Marshall would help take them the rest of the way, the set going to the Cougars 25-14.

With the score knotted at 23 in the fourth, the Cougars would reel off two straight points for the set win and continuation of the game.

Both teams inched forward in the final set, changing the lead a dozen times before Nyadholi Thokboum crushed home two straight kills and a victory for Mount Royal.

Alberta hosts Pool B CW playoffs action next week starting Thursday. They will face the UBC Thunderbirds (9-7), Winnipeg Wesmen (6-10), and the Regina Cougars (5-11).

The Cougars are off to Saskatoon to play hosts Saskatchewan (14-2), the UBCO Heat (8-8), and the Manitoba Bisons (6-10).