West Coast Classic

With School returning the Athletics department have to focus on putting there athlete’s front and centre on the sport of their choice and for today, it’s the Volleyball at Trinity Western University.

They played an impressive match and defeated UBC in the first game of the early season and hope they can keep the drive alive as the defending CIS champion.

Trinity Western University Women’s Volleyball team opened their title defence with an impressive 3-0 (27-25, 25-17, 25-17) victory over the UBC in an exhibition match at the Richmond Oval.

“We have a healthy rivalry with UBC. When we play each other both teams want to play well and both teams want to compete. So each team brings a little more to the table when we match up with each other,” commented TWU head coach Ryan Hofer. “This was great for us as we are in a new year and we have a new group of girls who need to learn how to play together. It was a win for us regardless of the outcome on the scoreboard.

To go out their play some volleyball and have the girls get orientated with each other and learn how to play with each other and get some of the jitters out and just play volleyball, was what we wanted out of tonight.”

The match was part of TWU Richmond’s Grand Opening Week and the kick off to the Spartans tour of China, which begins next Sunday.

“Going to China will be very good volleyball for us. It is most likely to be some of the best volleyball in the world. So to go there and get tested and pushed will be challenging for us,” added Hofer.

The Spartans had the Thunderbirds number for the majority of the match and opened with an early 16-12 lead before pulling out the first set 27-25.

In the second set the Spartans had strong serving and blocking as they once again took the early 16-11 lead, but unlike the first set carried their momentum into the second half of the set winning easily 25-17.

The Thunderbirds had their best start of the match in the third set as they trailed the Spartans 16-14 at the break. However, TWU once again took control from end line to go on a 9-3 run to take the match and the final set 25-17.

The Spartans will now host the Simon Fraser University Clan in an exhibition match on Friday, September 18. The two matches are preparation for TWU as they head out on a one week Goodwill Tour of China beginning on Monday, September21.

During their tour the TWU delegation will travel to Shanghai, Beijing and Tianjin while playing three matches against top level Universities and Provincial programs.

In addition to their matches the TWU delegation will be signing agreements with the Wuhan City Government for Visiting Teachers in Wuhan, China, Shandong Provincial Government for Visiting Teachers in Jinan, China and Tianjin Open University related to the development of Online and Distributed Learning in Tianjin, China.

Thanks to TWU for the info