LANGLEY, B.C.– Led by fifth-year middle Kaylee Plouffe (Sherwood Park, Alta.) with 16 kills and eight digs, the Trinity Western Spartans opened the best-of-three Canada West quarter-final with a hard-fought 3-0 win over the Saskatchewan Huskies Thursday night at the Langley Events Centre in Langley, B.C. The 30-28, 28-26, 25-15 win gives TWU a 1-0 lead in the series.
 
Fourth-year outside Maryn Boldon (Okotoks, Alta.) with nine kills, and four digs, and first-year middle London Krahn (Abbotsford, B.C.) with six kills and six blocks also had strong games for the Spartans. Taryn Hannah with 13 kills and 11 digs, and Keely Anderson with eight kills, four digs, and one block, led the Huskies.
 
TWU second-year setter Tayana Dmitruk (Surrey, B.C.) ran the Spartan attack, finishing with 22 set assists. Saskatchewan's Tielle Hagel finished with 27 set assists for the Huskies.
 
UP NEXT
The Spartans and Huskies will match-up again tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. (PT) at the Langley Events Centre, with the match streamed live on Canada West TV.
 
AS IT HAPPENED
The Spartans held off three set points from the Huskies before taking the opening set 30-28 after a Plouffe. The Huskies used a 4-0 run early in the match to take a 9-5 lead. The Spartans spent most of the set cutting into the Huskies' lead until a Saskatchewan attack error pulled TWU even at 18-18. The Spartans got to set point at 24-23 after another Plouffe kill. But the Huskies evened the set at 24-24 after an Anderson kill. Saskatchewan would then take 26-25, 27-26, and 28-27 leads, but each time the Spartans tied the set. Then, at 28-28, TWU took the final two points to open the match with a two-point win. TWU ended the set hitting at .171 (14-7-41), while Saskatchewan finished at .098 (14-10-41).
 
The Huskies were the better team to start the second set and quickly built a six-point lead, 16-10, after a Hannah kill. TWU slowly found its side-out rhythm and were able to cut into the Saskatchewan lead. A late 3-0 run by the Spartans to tie the set at 20-20 after a Huskies' attack error. Saskatchewan took the next three points to lead 23-20. The Spartans came back again to tie the set at 23-23. The Spartans held off two Huskies' set points at 24-23 and 25-24. TWU took two straight points to get to set point, up 27-26. After an exchange of points, the Spartans Boldon put the set away with a cross-court attack to give TWU the 28-26 second set win to lead the match 2-0. TWU hit at .209 (15-6-43), while Saskatchewan hit at .150 (13-7-40).
 
The third set was even at 7-7 when TWU's Dmitruk went on a serving run to put the Spartans up 13-7 after a Plouffe kill. The Spartans maintained the lead for most of the set, leading 20-13 heading into the final points. TWU finished off the set with a 5-2 run to take the set 25-15 and the match 3-0. The Spartans ended the final set hitting at .303 (13-3-33), while the Huskies hit at .000 (9-9-35).
 
NOTABLE

• The Spartans finished the night hitting at .222 (42-16-117) while the Huskies finished at .086 (36-26-116).
• Both teams had three service aces.
• TWU had the edge in blocks 11-7, while Saskatchewan had a 51-42 edge in digs.
• Trinity Western is currently 42-20 lifetime against Saskatchewan.
• The Spartans finished 15-5 in conference play and third place in Canada West, while the Huskies finished 12-8 in CW and in sixth place.
• Last year, the Spartans swept the Huskies in conference play, winning 3-2 and 3-1, while losing 2-1 in the best-of-three Canada West play-in series in Saskatoon, Sask., losing 3-1, winning 3-1, and losing 3-0.
• Both teams had byes last week.
• The Spartans are led by Canada West first-team all-stars fourth-year outside Maryn Boldon (Okotoks, Alta.) and fifth-year middle Kaylee Plouffe (Sherwood Park, Alta.)
• The Huskies are led by Canada West second-team all-star fourth-year outside Taryn Hannah (North Battleford, Sask.)