LANGLEY, British Columbia – The Trinity Western Spartans fell 3-0 to the No. 5 Alberta Pandas Friday night at the Langley Events Centre in Langley, B.C. The 25-20, 26-24, and 25-22 loss drops the Spartans to 5-8 in Canada West, while the win moves the Pandas to 10-3.
 
Third-year outside Maryn Boldon (Okotoks, Alta.) with 13 kills, and seven digs, and second-year outside Erika Bang (Calgary, Alta.) with 10 kills, and five digs led the Spartans. Abby Guezen with a game-high 17 kills, six digs, and three blocks, and Allie Moore with nine kills, four digs, and five blocks led the Pandas.
 
Third-year setter Sydney Gill (St. Catharines, Ont.) led the Spartan attack with 21 set assists, while her counterpart with the Pandas, Justine Kolody finished with 37 assists.

AS IT HAPPENED
In the opening set, Trinity Western fell to Alberta with a score of 25 to 20. Key highlights for the Spartans included Boldon contributing five kills, and fourth-year middle Kaylee Plouffe (Sherwood Park, Alta.) making successful blocks alongside first-year outside Sienna Driedger (Grunthal, Man.). Despite their efforts, Alberta's Guezen dominated with 10 kills, and the Pandas capitalized on a few attack errors from Trinity Western to secure the lead.

In the second set, was a tightly contested set, with Alberta getting the final two points to take the set 26-24. Boldon and Bang each contributed significantly, with Boldon recording 6 kills, including one that tied the score at 24-24, and Bang adding several key kills throughout the set. Despite a strong effort with service aces from second-year middle Isabella Stothart (Airdrie, Alta.) and Plouffe, the Spartans struggled with service errors and blocking, allowing the Pandas to edge out the win in a tightly contested set.
 
Trinity Western fell to the Pandas in the third set, losing 25-22. The set was close early but Alberta was able to get separation late in the set with a three-point lead, 21-18. TWU cut the lead to one point 20-21 late, but were unable to overcome the deficit as the Pandas took the match 3-0.

NOTABLE 

• The Spartans finished the night hitting at .183 (40-18-120), while the Pandas finished at .310 (49-13-116).
• Alberta out-blocked Trinity Western 11-5.
• The Spartans had a 4-2 edge in service aces.
• After starting the season 4-0 in CW, TWU has gone 1-8 over the last nine matches.
• After starting the season 0-3 in CW the Pandas have won 10 straight matches.
• The Spartans are currently 43-50 lifetime against the Pandas.
• TWU is 1-4 over the last five Canada West conference matches with the Pandas.