With five teams tightly bunched atop the Canada West conference in ·É´Ç³¾±ð²Ô’s volleyball, each and every match in 2017 will carry considerable meaning for the UBC Okanagan Heat.
Steve ²Ñ²¹²Ô³Ü±ð±ô’s defending national bronze medalists will open the new year with two key games this weekend in Vancouver, Friday and Saturday, against the rival UBC Thunderbirds.
The Heat (8-2) is currently tied for third in the conference with the Calgary Dinos, while the T-Birds (7-3) are just a game back.
Leading the way are the Alberta Golden Bears (10-0) and Trinity Western Spartans (9-1), both of whom the Heat will see in the ²õ±ð²¹²õ´Ç²Ô’s second half.
With plenty of tough matches to come and little room for error in the second semester, five-year veteran Megan Festival said the Heat is ready to take on the challenge.
“(±á±ð²¹»å coach) Steve has done a good job of training us for the long run, so hopefully ·É±ð’l±ô be able to keep it going over the last part of the ²õ±ð²¹²õ´Ç²Ô,†said Festival, one of three co-captains on the Heat.
“T³ó¾±²õ is when we tend to start peaking, when all the hard work ·É±ð’v±ð done starts to pay off.
“W±ð know there ·É´Ç²Ô’t be any easy matches, so ¾±³Ù’s time for us to ramp things ³Ü±è.â€
Despite losing six players to graduation from last ²â±ð²¹°ù’s ³Ù±ð²¹³¾â€”m´Ç²õ³Ù of whom were ²õ³Ù²¹°ù³Ù±ð°ù²õ—t³ó±ð Heat is once again holding its own in an ultra-competitive conference.
Festival said ¾±³Ù’s a testament to the depth and talent of the Heat program.
“W±ð had a lot of girls coming back who played key roles for us last year when they were called on, they got a lot of experience in important ²õ¾±³Ù³Ü²¹³Ù¾±´Ç²Ô²õ,†she said.
“M¾±³¦³ó±ð±ô±ô±ð Jakszuk has really stepped up this year after waiting for her chance, and Siobhan (Fitzpatrick) has been playing great.
â€Àá³Ù’s a different team this year, but still a very good team. ±õ³Ù’s been a nice, refreshing ³¦³ó²¹²Ô²µ±ð.â€
Meanwhile, the Heat men (4-6) will also be in Vancouver for a pair of matches this weekend against the UBC Thunderbirds (6-4).
The next home action for the UBCO volleyball teams is Jan. 20 and 21 against Trinity Western.
Heat hoops at ³ó´Ç³¾±ð…
Both UBC Okanagan basketball teams tip off 2017 at home this weekend with a pair of games against the University of Regina Cougars.
¹ó°ù¾±»å²¹²â’s games at the Âé¶¹AV campus are set for 6 and 8 p.m., while ³§²¹³Ù³Ü°ù»å²¹²â’s go at 5 and 7 p.m.
Claire Meadows and the Heat women sit at 2-8 heading into the second semester, while the Cougars are at 6-2.
Pete ³Ò³Ü²¹°ù²¹²õ³¦¾±â€™s Heat ³¾±ð²Ô’s squad is 1-9, while Regina is 5-3.