EDMONTON - Ripping home 45 kills in just three sets, the Alberta Pandas opened their regular season with a 3-0 win over the visiting Saskatchewan Huskies, Friday night at Saville Community Sports Centre. 

Fourth-year Panda Lauryn Tremblay led the attack for Alberta with a game-high 14 kills, adding 13 digs and four assisted blocks. Rookie Panda Laila Johnston had a strong debut, scoring 11 kills and six digs, with second-year setter Justine Kolody recording 33 assists. 

Devyn Ethier led the Huskies with eight kills on 30 swings, as the Huskies struggled to find their offensive rhythm all evening. Sask also struggled with the Pandas block, with Alberta finishing with 13 team blocks. 

The Pandas doubled the Huskies kill total in the first, recording 14 kills to the Huskies seven, pulling away after being tied 14-14. 

The second set was arguably the closest and most entertaining, with both sides finishing with nearly identical attack percentages. The Huskies led 10-7, and again at 19-17 in a back-and-forth set. The visitors were unable to hold on their lead, however, as a Tremblay kill and two Huskies attack errors saw Alberta erase a 23-22 deficit to take the second. 

Alberta returned to form in the third, scoring 17 kills to the Huskies nine, as Kolody clinched the win with a dump at the net. 

The two prairie rivals will square off again tomorrow night at 6:30 p.m MT.