TRU's Olivia Andulajevic Helps Canada Make Volleyball Nations League History

Image Credit: Volleyball World

Thompson Rivers University standout Olivia Andulajevic is headed to the Volleyball Nations League Finals after helping Team Canada achieve a historic milestone on Sunday.

Canada secured its first-ever berth in the Volleyball Nations League Finals with a 3-1 victory over the Dominican Republic in Hong Kong, finishing the preliminary round with an impressive 8-4 record to claim fifth place in the standings.

For Andulajevic, the accomplishment marks another major step in what has become a remarkable year for the TRU WolfPack libero. After establishing herself as one of the top defenders in U SPORTS, she is now part of a Canadian squad that continues to climb among the world's elite volleyball nations.

Canada was led offensively by Kiera Van Ryk, who recorded a match-high 21 points, while Alexa Gray added 20 as the Canadians defeated the Dominican Republic 25-20, 17-25, 25-22, and 25-18.

The result capped a strong tournament for Canada, which improved throughout the three-week preliminary schedule. After splitting its opening four matches in Quebec City, the Canadians posted back-to-back 3-1 weeks in Bangkok and Hong Kong to secure a place in the Finals.

Canada heads into the Finals with momentum after nearly knocking off defending champion Italy on Saturday, pushing the world's second-ranked team to five sets before falling in a hard-fought battle.

For volleyball fans in Kamloops and the Thompson Rivers University community, Andulajevic's role on Canada's national team is another point of pride. The former WolfPack star continues to represent both TRU and Kamloops on the international stage as Canada prepares to compete for a Volleyball Nations League title for the first time in program history.

The Volleyball Nations League Finals will be held July 22-26 in Macau, China, with the tournament shifting to a single-elimination format.