The University of Regina's women's volleyball team was close with Trinity Western for much of the match, but the No. 5-ranked Spartans came away with a three-set victory on Saturday night in Canada West play at the Centre for Kinesiology, Health & Sport.
 
Elizabeth Wendel and Alicia Perrin led Trinity Western in the match, as the Spartans won by scores of 25-23, 25-15, and 25-23 to improve their conference record to 12-4 on the season. Wendel didn't start on Friday, but got the call on Saturday and responded with a team-high 11 kills while hitting .333 for the match. Perrin was just behind with 10 kills, while Vanessa Cornwall had 29 assists and libero Kristen Moncks had nine digs.
 
Michelle Sweeting led the Cougars (4-12) in kills for the fourth consecutive Canada West match, ending up with a match-high 12 on 25 attacks. Chelsea Ziolkowski had 11 kills, while Molly Wade-Cummings had eight kills to fall just short of her career high of nine. Leah Shevkenek had 28 assists, with libero Lindsay Braul led all players with 15 digs.
 
The first set was the most tightly contested of the match, as the two teams battled through 16 tie scores and eight lead changes. Ultimately, it was a late 7-2 run for Trinity Western that turned a two-point Cougar lead into a 24-21 advantage for the Spartans that stood as the difference. The Cougars were able to overcome the first two set points, but Perrin and Cornwall combined for a block on the third to give the visitors a 25-23 win and an early lead in the match.
 
TWU never trailed in the second set, holding the Cougars to a zero hitting percentage while cruising to a 25-15 victory. Needing a win in the third to extend the match, the Cougars led for most of the set before succumbing to a similar fate as the first set. The Spartans had a key 6-1 run which featured kills from four different players, turning what had been a two-point U of R lead into a 24-21 advantage. Again, just like the first set, the Cougars were able to shake off the first two set points before Trinity Western capitalized on the third. Wendel's final kill of the night clinched the match for the Spartans, giving them their ninth consecutive Canada West victory.
 
Both teams will continue the conference schedule at home next weekend. The Cougars host provincial rival Saskatchewan, while Trinity Western will entertain Canada West newcomer MacEwan.