The Mount Royal Cougars Men’s Volleyball team capped off a successful weekend over Crowchild Trail rivals, University of Calgary Dinos, sweeping the weekend 2-0.
The Cougars won all six sets this weekend, but in Game two it was their consistent play and focus that brought home the much needed win at Kenyon Court.
Right from the jump, first-year Cougar Outside Hitter, #14 Kai Toney proved he was going to be a problem all game, with powerful serves and precisely aimed kills.
Later in the first set, Cougars #17 Maxime Turgeon would rise to the occasion by stuffing the Dinos at the net giving the Cougars the 18-10 lead.
Cougars Outside Hitter #14 Kai Toney rising over the U of C Dinos front line to get the all-important first set winner as he touches the ball down between the Dinos front and back lines at a game in Calgary on February 7, 2026. (Adam Vyse/CMRU.ca)
However, the Dinos would not go gently into the night, testing #3 Isaac Karstad with two consecutive kill attempts who made clutch digs—Karstad proved to be human after all when the Dino’s third kill attempt landed just out of reach keeping them in the set.
On set-point, Toney dropped a cheeky 1st set winner, putting the ball in no man’s land between the front and back rows of the Dinos for the 25-18 Set win.
Set two proved much of the same, the Cougars never got too high or too low as the Dinos kept up with the Cougars.
Cougars #2 Kale Orr, from Magrath, Alta, would float above the net and crush a ball off the Dinos back row that ricocheted into the broadcast booth on the track above Kenyon Court.
The Cougars would ride that moment, only trailing once in the second set at 14-13 and cruise to a 25-20 set victory, going up 2-0 in sets won.
Early in the third set, the Cougars took the lead and did not look back putting the pedal to metal.
Orr would show off his precision once again floating above the net and the front row of the Dinos to slot a ball for an early kill.
The third set would then see the Cougars execute some timely trickery as Karstad and Toney play a little peek-a-boo.
Karstad rises, acting like he’s smashing it forcing the Dino blocker to jump with him, only to let it go by for a leaping Toney to crush an unreturnable kill shot for the 12-8 lead.
The MRU Cougars masterfully used Middle #3 Isaac Karstad as a dummy, as he rises through the air selling spike forces U of C Dinos Middle #18 Cam Hunt to jump for a block in a game on February 7th, in Calgary. (Adam Vyse/CMRU.ca)
The culmination of the trickery of the Cougars, as #3 Karstad is now on the ground. Emerging over top is Cougars Outside Hitter Kai Toney rising up for the kill at a game in Calgary on February 7, 2026. (Adam Vyse/CMRU.ca
Continued Cougars pressure would force a timeout from the Dinos, now trailing 17-11 in their do-or-die set.
Cougars Outside Hitter Toney, and Middle #7 Mattias Dirks go up and snuff out a kill attempt from Dinos #22 Sam Kay to set up a pivotal match point in a game in Calgary on February 7, 2026. (Adam Vyse/CMRU.ca)
After the break the Dinos would get two points, but the Cats came right back with four straight points of their own extending their lead to 21-13.
Following a Dinos point, the Cougars would get three points capped off by second-year Vancouver native #7 Mattias Dirks using his 6’8” frame to stuff the Dinos and set up Match point.
After a miss hit by Toney for the win, Cougars #15 Callum Stewart would crush a ball past four Dinos to capture the match-winning kill.
The Cougars win the decisive 3rd set 25-15 and the match, moving to 9 wins and 9 loses on the year.
The men are now on a 3-game winning streak after snapping a seven game losing skid last weekend against UBC-O.
Next up for the Men is a road trip to Langley, B.C. as they take on Trinity Western University to finish off the 2025-26 season.
The victorious MRU Cougars players shake hands with the Dinos players after their game in Calgary on February 7, 2026. (Adam Vyse/CMRU.ca)
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