EDMONTON – Playing in their first Canada West playoff game since the 2001-02 season, the University of Saskatchewan Huskies women's volleyball led early before falling to the Alberta Pandas by a score of 3-1 (20-25, 25-20, 25-13, 25-9) in game one of the best-of-three quarter-final series, Thursday night at Saville Community Sports Centre.
 
Meeting again for the third time in two weeks, the Pandas once again find themselves victorious over the Huskies after sweeping them during their regular season match-up.
 
Pandas fourth-year outside hitter Kory White led the teams in kills with 22, while adding four blocks and third-year setter Elyse Hart ended the night with 52 assists.
 
Across the court, fourth-year outside hitter Emily Koshinsky had 11 kills for her side, while second-year outside hitter Olivia Mattern added nine for Saskatchewan.
 
In the first set, both teams made quick work of their points, while exchanging them back-and-forth. Ultimately, it was the Huskies who grabbed a hold of the frame as the end of the set neared. Saskatchewan finished on 14 of their 26 attacks in the set for a hitting percentage of .538.
 
With a drive to not drop two straight sets, the Pandas stayed in control from start to finish, never trailing their opponents, evening the game at one set a piece.
 
With momentum on their side, it was all Alberta in the third, giving Saskatchewan no room to breathe and jumping out to a 13-6 lead. In dominating fashion, the Pandas took the set 25-13, hitting at 92 percent on attack.
 
Exploding with even more offence, the Pandas went on a six-point scoring streak to start the fourth, before finding themselves up 16-5 at the technical timeout and cruising to a 25-9 win.
 
Game two of the best-of-three quarter-final series is set for 8:00 p.m. tomorrow night at Saville, and live online on Canada West TV presented by Co-op.