VANCOUVER - After dropping the first set, the UBC Thunderbirds kicked their blocking into high gear and came charging back to win a 3-1 decision over the Saskatchewan Huskies (19-25, 25-20, 25-19, 25-23) in their home opener on Friday.
The T-Birds had the services of starting middle blocker
Cary Brett for the first time this season, but were still without another starting middle,
Joe Cordonier, and struggled to defend the net early on.
UBC recorded just one block in their first set loss and allowed the Huskies to hit over .400 as a team, but things picked up quickly from there. Led by Brett and
Jarrid Ireland, the T-Birds recorded three blocks in the second set and shaved .200 points off the Huskies' hitting percentage, and then exploded for eight and a half blocks in the third, holding the Huskies to .033 hitting.
Brett had four block assists and one solo block in the third set. He finished with a match-high seven block assists, and added his eighth kill of the night on match point.
"This is his first action back (from injury), and for him to come through like he did with eight blocks - that's what he is out there for, and to finish the game on that kill was also cool," said UBC head coach
Richard Schick. "He really stepped it up. He started the force at the net for us and they had trouble getting the ball over the net."
The T-Birds led the fourth set 21-17 before the Huskies made a run to tie the set at 21. It was tied again at 22 until a Huskies service error gave UBC a one point lead.
David Zeyha grabbed his match-high 21st kill to set up Brett's match point.
Chris Klassen took over setter duties from rookie starter
Milan Nikic for UBC after the first set. The fifth-year senior recorded 42 assists and also got in on the block party with two assists and one solo job.
"We have guys that have to play certain roles, and Chris may find the one he's in right now challenging, but it's paying off for him and he is really playing well, and finishing the game on the floor," Schick said.
The teams were neck-and-neck through most of the first set, until Paul Thompson scored an ace and a pair of kills late in the frame to push the Huskies to the win.
UBC pulled away late in the second set when their blockers turned up the heat, and Zeyha capped the set with two straight kills.
Then the UBC attack kicked into high gear in the third, hitting .550 in the set.
Robert Bennett had five kills on six attacks in the frame.
UBC improves to 4-1 on the year while the Huskies drop to 1-6. The teams wrap up their weekend series with a rare afternoon affair on Saturday. The 'Birds and Huskies are set to clash at 2 p.m. at War Memorial Gym.
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