EDMONTON, AB - Jacob Sargent and Owen Harris combined for 29 kills, as the U SPORTS third-seeded Golden Bears improved to 8-1 with a 3-1 win over the second-seeded TWU Spartans. 

Sargent powered the Golden Bears with 17 kills on .306 hitting, adding four block assists and totaling 18.0 points. Owen Harris delivered one of his most efficient nights of the season, finishing with 12 kills on 13 swings (.846). 

Setter Luke Weddell controlled the offence with 40 assists, four digs, and four aces, while Trent Cherewaty added five kills and four block assists. Dylan Martens chipped in seven kills and two blocks as Alberta hit .326 as a team.

Trinity Western was led by Kaden Schmidt, who posted 22 kills on 42 attempts for 25.5 points, but the Spartans hit just .163 overall as a team. 

First Set

The Golden Bears opened with precision and balance, hitting .407 in the frame. Harris set the tone early with a series of clean swings, while Sargent and Martens contributed timely kills. Alberta built a multi-point cushion and held off the Spartans late push to secure the opener.

Second Set

Trinity Western responded with its tightest offensive set, capitalizing on Alberta errors while Schmidt took over from the left side. Despite a strong distribution from Weddell, the Bears' eight attack errors proved costly, allowing the Spartans to edge the frame and level the match.

Third Set

Alberta delivered its most dominant set of the night, hitting .474 and limiting TWU to .043. Sargent and Harris combined for a flurry of kills as Weddell's tempo quickened. At the net, Cherewaty and Shand formed an effective blocking tandem, helping Alberta take control of the match.

Fourth Set

The Bears closed out the contest in a tight fourth set marked by long rallies and defensive grit. Harris remained unstoppable on the right side, while Weddell added two more aces to keep the Spartans off balance. TWU threatened late behind Schmidt's heavy arm, but Martens and Sargent sealed the final points to clinch the match.

Game 2 of the blockbuster weekend series is set for 5:00 p.m. tomorrow night at Saville Centre.