It had been more than two years since the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack women’s vol- leyball team put one in the win column.
Before TRU won its first match of the season on the weekend against the University of Calgary Dinos — 3-2 on Friday, Oct. 17 — it had gone 49 straight matches, dating back to 2012, without winning a third set.
The club’s last victory had come on Feb. 10, 2012, a 3-2 defeat of the UBC-Okanagan Heat of Kelowna.
TRU now has that slump behind it and is relieved to be able to move on.
“That was beautiful, to be able to know that we can win, we can compete with these teams, just to settle the years of people shoving it in our faces that we hadn’t won yet,” second-year middle Kaitlin Lomas said.
“Now we can say, ‘Hey, we have won, we are a good team and we can compete in the CIS.’”
Lomas was a part of the 2013-2014 WolfPack that went winless in 18 games under for- mer head coach Keith Lundgren before current skipper Chad Grimm took over.
She said the attitude of, and atmosphere around, the team have changed under its new bench boss.
Players now have more freedom to make adjustments based on what they’re seeing on the court and there is more open communication.
Playing at TRU has become a lot more fun, too.
“It was a relief, for sure, to have that win. [There’s] less pressure,” Lomas said.
“But, it also creates more pressure in that now that we have that win, we have to continue the competitiveness and create more wins.” The WolfPack will open their home schedule at the Tournament Capital Centre this weekend, facing the UBC Thunderbirds (2-2) tonight (Oct. 24) and tomorrow.
The games will get underway at 6 p.m. and 5 p.m., respectively.
Grimm is hoping his club can keep things rolling, with a little bit of confidence to work with.
The coach said this is only the beginning of what fans can expect from the women’s squad this season.
“I think we have a lot of new faces, but also a lot of girls that had a lot of potential and just were maybe not in a space that they could just go out and play the game,” he said.
“They’re [fans] not going to see a team go out on the floor and not be competitive with whoever we meet.”
Pack men seek first victory tonight
Coming off a trip to the Canada West Final Four last season, the WolfPack men’s volleyball team’s 0-4 start to 2014-2015 has been less than ideal.
The club is hop- ing it can turn things around this weekend, when it opens its home schedule against the UBC Thunderbirds at the TCC.
The Pack lost their first two series of the season on the road, falling to the Trinity Western University Spartans and the University of Calgary Dinos.
But, the team has also been dealing with some issues beyond its control.
“We’ve certainly had our share of injuries,” WolfPack head coach Pat Hennelly told KTW.
“Getting a stable six out has been an issue.
“At one point, in Calgary, we had four first-year guys on the floor and I didn’t proj- ect any of them to even travel this year.”
Most notably, the WolfPack have been playing without two of their main offensive weapons — outside hitter Casey Knight and right-side Brad Gunter.
Knight seems to be on his way to making his return — Hennelly said the 6-foot-8 vet- eran started jumping in practice this week and may be available for the weekend.
Gunter, however, is out for another two to four weeks. His finger was in a brace when he spoke to KTW, having been dislocated — the bone broke through the skin — in the team’s first series against Trinity.
“These past two weekends have been a real struggle,” Gunter said. In 2013-2014, he led the nation in kills per set (5.31) and points (404.5).
“I can’t wait to get back. I think we’ll do so much better.”
The lone positive to come from the WolfPack’s shorthanded start might be the emergence of some of the squad’s younger members.
Hennelly described second-year hitter Randy Grundmann as the team’s best player thus far, which bodes well for the future and the 6-foot-4 Winnipeg native.
He will slot into vacancies left by retiring veterans Knight and Stuart Richey atthe end of this season.
Grundmann leads the team in kills (48) and points (53.5).
“It’s obviously the beginning of the season.
“We’re trying to fix a few things that we worked on in the pre-season. We have two big injuries to Gunter and Casey. But, I think it’s good for our team,” fifth-year libero Matt Krueger said, evaluating team’s start.
“It has other stepping up into positions they normally wouldn’t. So, I think, in the long run, it’s going to be beneficial for our guys.”
The WolfPack will play their home opener tonight (Oct. 24) at 7:45 p.m. in the TCC against UBC. The teams will play a rematch tomorrow night at 6:45 p.m.
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