SSK hitter, REG libero show grit in key matches

Huskies' hitter, Cougars' libero put it all on the line in weekend series

WINNIPEG - Saskatchewan's Dylan Mortensen and Regina's Sierra Parris-Kruger were named Canada West Volleyball Players of the Week by the conference on Tuesday.

Mortensen put away 40 kills in two back-and-forth wins this weekend, propelling the Huskies up the standings into a tie for first place in the East.

The fourth-year outside hitter laid down 29 kills on Friday, hit the floor for five digs, and chipped in three blocks to put up 32.5 points in a tense 3-2 win over Brandon.

He followed that up with an 11-kill, five-dig performance as Saskatchewan took Saturday's game (3-1) for their fourth straight win.

He now leads Canada West and U SPORTS in kills.

Mortensen will move forward as one of the conference's nominees for U SPORTS Athlete of the Week.

The Huskies (5-5) are slated to be back in action on Jan. 28 and 29, when they'll travel to the University of Manitoba (4-4) for a weekend series. The actions starts at 7:45 p.m. on the Friday and 6:45 p.m. on the Saturday.

Game log:
Jan. 14: 29 kills, .368 K%, 5 digs, 1 ace in 3-2 W vs BDN
Jan. 15: 11 kills, .320 K%, 5 digs, 3 aces in 3-1 W vs BDN

Meanwhile, Parris-Kruger proved not all heroes wear capes, hitting the court for 37 digs in just six games this weekend to help the Regina Cougars bounce back after a 3-0 loss to sweep Winnipeg the next day.

The Cougars' defensive backbone posted 21 digs and five assists in the team's 3-0 victory over the visiting Wesmen Saturday.

The fourth-year now leads Canada West athletes in digs and sits second in U SPORTS rankings.

Parris-Kruger will move forward as one of the conference's nominees for U SPORTS Athlete of the Week.

The University of Regina (3-5) is set to host provincial rival Saskatchewan (7-1) on Friday and Saturday. Both games are slated for 6 p.m.

Game log:
Jan. 14: 16 digs, 1 ast in 3-0 L vs WPG
Jan. 15: 21 digs, 5 asts in 3-0 W vs WPG

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About Canada West

Since 1972, Canada West (CW) has been a leader in Canadian university sport, working to provide our student-athletes the opportunities to excel in sport, the classroom, and their communities. CW and our 17 members from across British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba collectively carry on a legacy of competitive excellence, as our champions proudly go on to represent the conference at U SPORTS national championships.

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