ABBOTSFORD, B.C. – Jonas Van Huizen led the UFV Cascades with seven kills and eight digs, but the No. 2-ranked Alberta Golden Bears earned a 3-0 (25-20, 25-23, 25-11) win Friday night in Abbotsford, B.C. The result in the Canada West men's volleyball game moved Alberta's record to 17 wins and six losses, and UFV's to 7-16.
 
How it Happened
The Cascades forced three attacking errors from the Golden Bears to open the match, but Alberta came back to level the score at 8-8. It was the first of nine ties in the first set, with the last coming at 16-16.  The Golden Bears won then next three points to take a 19-16 lead, which they extended to 21-17. UFV won the next two points on a Ryan Hampe kill and a Hampe-Jonas Van Huizen combination block. Alberta pulled away late to win 25-20.
 
The teams evenly split the first 26 points of the second set when Hampe's service ace evened the score at 13-13. However, the Golden Bears took the next four points to go ahead 17-13. An Eduardo Ferreira ace tied the score at 21-21. It was tied again at 22 points apiece after an Alberta service error, but the visitors pulled out the set by taking three of the next four.
 
The visitors pulled away early in the third, jumping out to a 9-3 advantage, and completed the sweep.
 
Top Performers:
In addition to Jonas Van Huizen's seven kills and eight digs, three players – Tyson Ardell, Ryan Hampe and Easton Sarich – contributed four kills each. Hampe added a solo block and a block assist. He also did not commit any attacking errors. Max Paddock dished out 16 assists from the setter position, and also recorded five digs. 
 
Quotable:
Senior left side Eduardo Ferreira
 
"Alberta is a physical team. Our approach to the match was that we have nothing to lose so go out there and have fun and play our game. Although we lost the first two sets, we played well and were able to contain them. We needed to continue that mentality. Unfortunately, the last set didn't go our way but we will have another opportunity against them Saturday. We did a pretty good job being aggressive on our serves, and we had several nice blocks. Our defensive mentality – trying to get to every ball before it touched the ground – was another positive for us tonight."
 
Up next:
The Cascades will wrap up the 2023-24 Canada West regular season with Saturday rematch against Alberta at 6:45 p.m. Prior to the first serve, four graduating players – Ryan Adams, Eduardo Ferreira, Caleb Kastelein and Reece Wilson – will be honoured in a pre-game Senior Night ceremony.