Alyshia Bryks hits against UBCO's block on Saturday (Will Thompson photo).
Alyshia Bryks hits against UBCO's block on Saturday (Will Thompson photo).
November 9, 2025

Griffins show their potential in strong opening set before mistakes cost them in 3-1 loss to Heat

Box Score

Jefferson Hagen
MacEwan Athletics

KELOWNA, B.C. – Huge swings between their highs and lows sent the Griffins women's volleyball team on a roller-coaster journey Saturday that ultimately ended in a 3-1 defeat to the UBC Okanagan Heat.

We saw the Griffins' best as they cruised almost untouched to an easy win in Set 1 (25-19) before witnessing their warts as they lost three successive sets (25-18, 25-18, 25-15), largely because of their own errors.

"Our high end is very good," said head coach Chris Wandler. "That was the story of the first set. We served the ball well, we passed, we executed. It was very well done on everybody's part. 

"That seemed to be forgotten going into the second set, especially on the service line."

The Griffins quickly missed five serves within the first 12 points of Set 2 and it seemed to throw them off their game.

"That's a 10-point spread," Wandler pointed out. "UBCO, at the time, wasn't passing great and we were just giving points away. The start of that second set, it's hard to regain those points back when you're just giving them on a platter. It's hard to play from behind that way."

With the result, the Griffins fall to 1-5 on the campaign, while UBCO improves to 3-3.

"Just lack of execution on the serve-receive," said Wandler of what happened in Sets 3 and 4. "That made the offence really predictable. Payton (Shimoda) does an amazing job putting balls in the right spot. But part of our game plan was to not take big massive swings against a very well-formed block. That's what ended up being the case in that third set."

Shimoda led the Griffins with 28 assists and nine digs, while Kara Frith topped the team's attack with 13 kills, and Alyshia Bryks added 11. Anika Buys had four kills, an ace and a team-high five blocks.

"Kaitlin Rolph passed her best match of the weekend," Wandler said. "Payton, obviously put balls in really good spots, so that was kudos to her. Anika, I think she had four kills and no errors. She had a couple big blocks and made a big service run in the first set. Kudos to her, too."

Now, it's just a matter of finding that elusive consistency that's holding the Griffins back.

"We executed what we wanted to do game plan-wise, serving-wise (in the first set)," said Wandler. "It was great, honestly. It was very well played."

The key will be to bottle that and bring it out every set. 

The Griffins' next chance to do so will be at home next weekend when Mount Royal visits Nov. 14-15.