CALGARY – The defending Canada West champion Trinity Western Spartans opened the 2019-2020 preseason with a 3-1 victory over the Calgary Dinos Thursday night at the Dino Cup in Calgary, Alta.

The Spartans dropped the first set 25-23, before taking the next three sets 25-23, 25-14, and 25-22 to earn the four set victory.
Fourth year outside hitter Hilary Howe (Calgary) with 16 kills, 12 digs, and four blocks, second year outside hitter Savannah Purdy (Victoria, B.C.) with nine kills, and second year outside Ansah Odoom (Surrey, B.C.) with six kills, and four blocks lead the Spartans. Adriel Goodman with 14 kills and Kenzie Vaandering with eight kills led the Dinos attack.

TWU third year middle Avery Heppell (Langley, B.C.) led the team with five aces, while third year setter Dora Komlodi (Calgary) with 20 assists and second year setter Olivia Heinen (Langley, B.C.) with 16 assists split the setting duties for the Spartans. Lexi Peart quarterbacked the Dinos with 31 set assists.

NOTABLE
• TWU and Calgary last faced each other in the Canada West championship match, with the Spartans earning a 3-0 victory over the Dinos.
• Since the 2010-11 season the Spartans are 13-5 against the Dinos. TWU is 7-3 in their last 10 matchups.
• TWU finished the night hitting .143 (49-30-133), while Calgary hit .074 (36-27-121)
• The Spartans had a 12-8 advantage in aces, while the Dinos had a 13-12 edge in total blocks. TWU also had a 49-46 edge in digs.

UP NEXT
The Spartans will continue Dino Cup action tomorrow afternoon when they take on the University of Western Mustangs at 3:00 p.m. MST.

About Spartan Athletics
As official members of U SPORTS, the Spartans currently compete in 11 sports in the Canada West conference, including women’s and men’s soccer, volleyball, basketball, cross country and track & field, as well as women’s rugby sevens. TWU also competes in the British Columbia Intercollegiate Hockey League (BCIHL) in men’s hockey and as an independent team in men’s rugby. The men’s and women’s hockey programs will begin playing in Canada West and U SPORTS in 2020-21. Since TWU entered U SPORTS in 1999, the Spartans have won 12 U SPORTS team championships and 27 Canada West team championships and two BCIHL championships.

[SOURCE: Trinity Western University]