UBC Okanagan – Preview: Heat to Battle Bisons

What you need to know

  • Last weekend the Heat finally started their conference schedule. On their home court, the Heat were unable to notch a win against the Alberta Golden Bears.
  • This weekend, UBCO will be staying at home to continue their home stand against the Manitoba Bisons.
  • On Friday night, first-serve is at 8 p.m. The rematch on Saturday will get underway at 6 p.m.

GAME TIMES (PT)

FRIDAY, NOV 1st 

Volleyball (M) | Canada West conference match
8 PM | UBC Okanagan Heat (0-2) vs the Manitoba Bisons (1-1) | Webcast | Live Stats
Ticket Information  | @ UBC Okanagan Gymnasium, Kelowna, BC

SATURDAY, NOV 2nd 

Volleyball (M) | Canada West conference match
6 PM | UBC Okanagan Heat vs the Manitoba Bisons | Webcast | Live Stats
Ticket Information  | @ UBC Okanagan Gymnasium, Kelowna, BC

First action of the season:

  • Playing against a national top-5 team in the Alberta Golden Bears, the Heat fell on both nights in their season-opening home stand.
  • On Friday it was a straight-set loss for UBCO.
  • Their rematch on Saturday went to four sets, for the first time against Alberta since February of 2017.
  • On Saturday second-year, Cam Vanderveen had one of the best matches of his career with 19 kills.

Players to watch:

  • 2018-19 kills leader, Max Heppell is once again at the helm for the Heat with 4.14 kills per set. That mark currently is the best in Canada West.
  • Second-year, Cam Vanderveen, has doubled his hitting percentage from last year, scoring on 31.7-percent of his swings. Vanderveen is second on the team in kills at 3.86 kills per set, which is fourth in Canada West.

Head-to-head with Manitoba: (0-14, 0-2 in postseason)

  • On the road, the Heat dropped both games to the Bisons last season, both in four sets. Now third-year Bisons middle, Brendan Warren, tied the Canada West record for blocks in a game with 16, in the Friday night match. 

Scouting the Bisons

Season opening weekend:

  • After a (7-15) record last season the Bisons split their opening weekend against Mount Royal.
  • On Saturday, the University of Manitoba dropped a tough five-set match to the Cougars. But they bounced back for a four-set win in the Sunday rematch.

Players to watch:

  • Through two matches, right-side senior Kevin Negus leads the Bisons with 29 kills.
  • Third-year libero Kyle Martens leads Canada West with 2.89 digs per set.
  • Zach Janzen is fifth in Canada West with 1.22 blocks per set.

[SOURCE: UBC Okanagan]