WINNIPEG - A short-handed UBC Thunderbirds picked up their first win of the season, downing the Winnipeg Wesmen 3-1 (20-25, 25-18, 25-23, 25-20).
With starting middle
Cary Brett and right side
Demijan Savija not in the line-up due to health concerns, the T-Birds got double digit kill performances from outside hitters
Ben Chow,
Milo Warren, and
Joe Cordonier. Chow and Warren each picked up 15 kills while Cordonier, a middle who has moved to right side, tallied 11.
"With the line-up we had tonight, we needed to be balanced on offence and we got that," said UBC head coach
Richard Schick.
If the outsides provided the bulk of the offence, it was the middles who did the most precise damage in the win.
Jeff Ross, playing in his first game of the season, tallied six kills on six swings while
Yari Kozel had eight kills on 13 attacks. That duo also led an impressive UBC blocking effort with a combined four solo blocks and four block assists as the T-Birds out blocked the Wesmen 12-6.
"It was a nice homecoming for Yari and Jeff did really well in his first CIS match," said Schick of Kozel, a Winnipeg native, and Ross, a transfer from the college circuit.
UBC not only out blocked their opponents but they also out dug them 59-47. Cordonier had a career-high 17 with libero
Blair Bann adding 12 and setter
Ian Perry picked up 10.
Marc Ross and Devin Schmidt led Winnipeg with 10 kills apiece while libero Dan Lother had a team-leading 11 digs.
The first set saw the two teams go back and forth early but Winnipeg led 16-13 at the second technical timeout. They stretched that lead to 22-18 before a pair of T-Bird points made it 22-20. Winnipeg responded with a 3-0 run, however, to take the first set.
UBC controlled the second set right from the get go, jumping out to a 6-3 lead. They led 16-11 at the second technical timeout and never allowed the Wesmen back it in en route to the 25-18 decision.
The T-Birds appeared to capitalize on the momentum of the second set and were ahead 9-4 early in the third. Winnipeg fought back with a pair of three-point runs, however, with the second tying the game at 12-12. A pair of blocks from Tom Douglas-Powell late in the set made it 23-23, but UBC took the frame when Kozel blocked Douglas-Powell on set point.
UBC sealed the win with a solid fourth set performance, taking a five point lead and never giving in to the hosts' comeback efforts.
"We know Winnipeg will be better tomorrow night, so we are going to also have to be better if we want to get another win. Our guys are excited for the challenge," said Schick.
It's a matinee affair on Saturday in the re-match with first serve scheduled for 1:00 p.m. PT.
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