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![\"BROOK](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/4001261_web1_BJ-20260219CanWestWomensVolleyballUWWesmenUCDinos19.jpg\")
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BROOK JONES\/FREE PRESS<\/p>\n
Wesmen outside hitter Ella Werbiski (No. 14) spikes the ball while Dinos middle\/outside hitter Leni Blanke (No. 1) goes up for the block.<\/p>\n
The Dinos quickly knotted the frame at 8-8 and, following a Wesmen timeout, went on to win seven of the next 10 points to complete a thrilling and bitter 3-2 (25-19; 22-25; 22-25; 27-25; 15-11) comeback victory at Duckworth Centre.<\/p>\n
\u201cNerves and stuff,\u201d said Wesmen head coach Phil Hudson. \u201cSome of our new starters were in there, and they got a little bit nervous, and when your emotions are flying around, you\u2019re not able to make good decisions and stuff. So we\u2019ll regroup, and we\u2019ll get better for tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Wesmen were looking to repeat history by sweeping the Dinos in the play-in series for the second year in a row.<\/p>\n
Instead, the two sides will play a fateful Game 3 on Saturday at 4 p.m, back at Duckworth Centre.<\/p>\n
The winner will advance to face the Alberta Pandas in the conference quarterfinals.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think that\u2019s a learning curve for (Saturday) of in those pressure situations when we\u2019re past 20 or playing a fifth set, we just got to really trust our training and trust that we know what we\u2019re doing, and play with some grit right near the end \u2014 no hesitancy,\u201d said Libero Taylor Cangemi, the lone fifth-year on the Wesmen roster.<\/p>\n
For Cangemi, Saturday\u2019s match will hold significant weight, as a loss would spell the end of her university career.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor me personally, I think I can speak on behalf of the team: The main feeling is hunger,\u201d said Cangemi, who led the Wesmen with 15 digs. \u201cI think we knew they would push back today, so we knew it would be a gritty type of game, and we\u2019re expecting (Saturday) to be the same.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019ve got nothing to lose, and at this point, neither do we. So I\u2019m just feeling extremely fired up for a second chance tomorrow and redemption.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brooke Duncalfe, who had 20 kills in Game 1, stayed hot on the attack for the hosts, burying a game-high 24 chances. Megan Kendziora also made a significant impact with 17 kills, while setter Naomi Unger registered 53 assists.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t BROOK JONES\/FREE PRESS<\/p>\n Wesmen left side Brooke Duncalfe (No. 16) spikes the ball while Dinos middle Narelle Arnold (No. 6) and Dinos teammate middle\/outside hitter Leni Blanke (No. 1) go up for the block.<\/p>\n The Dinos\u2019 outside hitters saw much more success than in the series-opener, as Sophia Hansen recorded 19 kills and Lena Blanke supplied another 16.<\/p>\n Beyond the fifth set, this was far from the Wesmen\u2019s best. After a dominant showing in Game 1, the rematch was much more of a grind in nearly every phase.<\/p>\n \n\t\tWinnipeg Free Press | Newsletter\n\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t \u201cThey served\/received better (than Game 1), so they were in-system more,\u201d said Hudson. \u201cIt was much harder for us to block. We missed our targets quite a bit, and their attackers were more aggressive than ours and moved the ball around, and we didn\u2019t follow our game plan to start with.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have to do a much better job of following through on what we\u2019re supposed to be doing tomorrow. Calgary is going to be a formidable task meeting here. They\u2019re big, and they\u2019re athletic and good setting and really good outside hitting, so it\u2019s going to be a good challenge for us.\u201d<\/p>\n Despite being handed a tough lesson, there is no fading belief on Winnipeg\u2019s side. If this season has taught them anything, it\u2019s that they deserve to be in this position.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have had some big games against some big teams this season, and we\u2019ve given them a good run for their money,\u201d said Cangemi. \u201cSo I think all of that has built confidence leading up to this point, and we know we can do it. It\u2019s not a matter of doubt. It\u2019s a matter of grittiness in those tight situations.\u201d<\/p>\n winnipegfreepress.com\/joshuafreysam<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t Joshua Frey-Sam Josh Frey-Sam reports on sports and business at the Free Press. Josh got his start at the paper in 2022, just weeks after graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College. He reports primarily on amateur teams and athletes in sports. Read more about Josh<\/a>.<\/p>\n Every piece of reporting Josh produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print \u2014 part of the Free Press\u2018s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press\u2019s history and mandate<\/a>, and learn how our newsroom operates<\/a>.<\/p>\n Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber<\/a>.<\/p>\n Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.<\/p>\n \t\t
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