EDMONTON - In arguably the match of the first semester, the visiting Trinity Western Spartans salvaged a series split with the Golden Bears thanks to a 3-2 win on Saturday night. 

Trinity Western was powered by Kaden Schmidt, who recorded 17 kills and 19.5 points, adding three block assists and seven service errors in a high-volume performance. Jackson Corneil delivered 8 kills on .429 hitting with three block assists, while Cory Schoenherr was nearly perfect with 8 kills on .700 hitting and six block assists. Setter Anselm Rein orchestrated the Spartans' offence with 38 assists, three aces, and five digs.

For Alberta, Jacob Sargent led the way with 18 kills on .344 hitting, adding eight digs and a block assist for 18.5 points. Owen Harris contributed 8 kills, three aces, and nine total points, while Dylan Martens added 9 kills and four digs. Setter Luke Weddell posted 39 assists, eight digs, and an ace.

Trinity Western improved to 8–2, while Alberta dropped to 8–2 after the five-set marathon.
 

First Set

The Spartans opened with a dominant attacking rhythm, hitting .500 in the opening frame. Schmidt and Corneil combined for nine kills as TWU built an early cushion. Alberta stayed close through 12–10, but TWU ran off a decisive 7–2 stretch, sealed by a Schoenherr right-side kill.

Second Set

Alberta responded emphatically, hitting .500 while holding TWU to negative hitting (-.125). Sargent and Martens ignited a 10–2 run, while Weddell added an ace at 18–10. Harris capped the set with an off-speed roll shot, leveling the match.

Third Set

The Spartans regained momentum. Despite a tight 13–13 start, Schmidt took over with three kills in four rallies. Rein's back-to-back aces stretched the lead to 20–15, and Corneil's tip into the deep corner closed the set.

Fourth Set

Alberta forced a fifth with its strongest offensive frame of the night, hitting .448. Sargent struck for six kills in the set, while Harris and Cherewaty combined for three blocks. A Martens cross-court finish broke a 22–22 tie, and Sargent closed the set with a high-hands swing for 25–23.

Fifth Set

The Spartans controlled the tiebreak from the opening serve, jumping ahead 6–2 after a Schoenherr block and a Schmidt pipe attack. Alberta trimmed the deficit to 8–5 on a Sargent kill, but TWU sealed the match with a 7–2 closing run, punctuated by Schmidt's final kill.