VANCOUVER - Holding steady as the No.-6 ranked team in the country, the UBC Thunderbirds men's volleyball team (12-6) is looking to keep up their impressive recent form, as they prepare to host the Thompson Rivers WolfPack (8-12) in a two-game series this weekend.
The two teams will first square off on Friday, February 5, with the opening whistle set to blow at 6:00 p.m. (PT). The rematch will be a matinee, kicking off at 3:00 p.m. (PT) on Saturday, February 6. Both of this weekend's contests will be held at War Memorial Gym.
The 'Birds are coming off of a weekend sweep of the UBCO Heat (3-15), but the series, was much closer than the two teams' overall records would indicate.
In the first matchup against the Heat, the 'Birds were actually on the ropes in the first set, down 24-19 before ripping off a 5-0 rally, and eventually taking the 27-25 decision. The T-Birds, who dropped the second set, claimed the next two with some difficulty, winning with set scores of 25-18 and 25-22.
The second match saw the T-Birds fall into a 2-0 hole, as UBCO reeled off two wins by comfortable margins of at least five points apiece. Then, the 'Birds seemed to flip a switch, storming back to take the next two sets by nine and 13 points, respectively. UBC then capped the comeback in the fifth and final set, winning by a 15-13 decision.
"We knew going in that it was going to be a tough battle – we have one against them every year, especially with the history between the two programs," admitted Thunderbirds head coach Richard Shick. "We didn't think that we played particularly well on the first night, and in the second, with the way that they came out, they deserved those first two sets. Even after those two sets, I knew what we had in us, and it was really good the way that we reacted, in terms of pushing the envelope, continuing to be aggressive, and taking care of the little things that we needed to."
T-Birds third year outside hitter
Irvan Brar was dominant over the two days in Kelowna, racking up 35 combined kills to go with 24 digs and four service aces (all team-highs). Even in a season that has seen him rack up an impressive average of 11.33 kills per match, Brar's two-day showcase against the Heat featured some standout performances.
Thompson Rivers' 8-12 record doesn't accurately depict the kind of opponent the Thunderbirds will be facing this weekend – in recent weeks, the WolfPack have been much improved, going 4-2 over their past six outings, including a 1-1 series split with the No. 4-ranked Manitoba Bisons (14-4).
The Wolfpack's recent form has been fuelled by a dynamic attack, as their 15.8 points-per-set is good for 12th in CIS.
That attack, without a doubt, runs through fifth-year outside hitter Brad Gunter, whose 309 kills lead Canada West. The two-time First Team Canada West All-Star has also flashed some impressive defensive chops if his 162 digs, good for fifth in the conference, are any indication.
Going into this weekend, Schick admitted that his greatest task isn't to get his club to derail TRU's momentum, but to match their intensity.
"They're a team that battles, and they fight for everything that they get," said the long-time head coach. "They're still in the playoff hunt, and they need wins against us. I was just talking to the guys today, 'Why are we not desperate? We've got nothing guaranteed as of yet. Either, and there are no guarantees right up until the very end.'"
