KAMLOOPS, B.C. – The University of Alberta Golden Bears used a late rally in the fourth set to beat the TRU WolfPack 3-1 on Saturday, 25-21, 25-18, 22-25, 25-23, completing a season-opening weekend sweep.

The first set was tied 14 times before Alberta started to separate. The Golden Bears led 18-15 before TRU scored three straight to level it at 18 and went ahead 20-19, but Alberta answered with a 6-1 run to close it out, finishing on four straight points after a 21-21 tie. Dylan Martens led the Golden Bears with 11 kills on .529 hitting for the match, and he was a key piece of the opening-set finish.

The second set was more comfortable. Alberta built a 14-10 lead and then a 16-11 lead, forcing two TRU timeouts. The WolfPack cut it to 17-14 with a short run, but the Golden Bears scored four straight to go up 21-14 and cruised to a 25-18 win, hitting .316 in the set to TRU's .000.

TRU took the third set after a four-point run in the middle of the frame turned a 4-3 deficit into a 7-4 lead. Alberta cut a 14-10 deficit to one point at 13-14 and again at 22-23 down the stretch, but could not catch the WolfPack, who closed out a 25-22 win.

The fourth set was tied 11 times through 11-11 before Alberta pulled away to lead 22-17. TRU scored five straight, with Alberta calling timeouts at 22-19 and 22-21, to tie it at 22. Alberta won the next two points, TRU got one back, and the Golden Bears sealed the match 25-23.

Alberta hit .245 as a team to TRU's .097 and finished with a 7-1 edge in service aces, led by three from Trent Cherewaty, who also added seven kills on .700 hitting. Tyson DeZutter had a team-high 12 kills, Owen Harris added eight kills on .462 hitting, and Luke Weddell handed out 39 assists. TRU held a slight edge at the net, blocking 8.0 to 6.5.

The win moves Alberta to 2-0 on the season, while TRU falls to 0-4. The Golden Bears will open their home schedule on Friday, Nov. 6, at 7:45 p.m., hosting the Trinity Western Spartans.

-UA-