VANCOUVER - The UBC Thunderbirds women's volleyball team (14-6) earned their second straight win over the Thompson Rivers WolfPack  (11-11) on Saturday evening, taking the 3-1 decision and showing some moxie after it looked like Thompson Rivers was poised to make a comeback midway though the contest.
 
The set scores were 25-23, 25-20. 24-26, 23-25.
 
The 'Birds got some terrific performances from their outside hitters, as Danielle Brisebois (Bolton, Ont.) led the team with 15 kills, while Laura MacTaggart (Lacombe, Alta.) and Juliana Kaufmanis (Richmond, B.C.) were close behind with 13 and 11, respectively, while the latter added three aces in the win.
 
Thompson Rivers star Iuliia Pakhomenko had a mixed outing, as her 14 kills were a team-high, but the Ukranian also amassed 15 errors, and ended with an attack percentage of -0.022.
 


The game featured a picture-perfect start for the 'Birds, as Brisebois' early form, which resulted in two kills and a block, accounted for three of the game's first five points, all of which went to the home side.
 
The WofPack quickly found their footing, storming back with six points of their own, taking a 6-5 lead on a mishit from middle Ciara Hanly (Calgary).
 
After trading shots with the 'Birds for a short stretch, the WolfPack opened up a 16-10 advantage heading into the technical timeout.
 
The 'Birds seemed to recoup during the short break, as they reeled off eight of the next 11 points, a run that included a pair of kills from sophomore MacTaggart, as well as a couple hyper-athletic digs from libero Sam Patko (Vancouver).
 
After clawing their way to a 24-23 lead, the host 'Birds capped off the first set with a bullet kill from Kaufmanis, assisted by Alessandra Gentile (Port Moody, B.C.).
 
Tied up at 8-8 well into the second set, the T-Birds began to pull away. Kaufmanis, on the backline, was instrumental as UBC built up a 13-8 lead, notching a kill, an ace, and a couple of terrific digs.
 
Down 16-13 at the technical timeout, the WolfPack drew even with three consecutive points, then re-took the lead 17-16 on a terrific block from Caitlin Lomas.
 
The 'Birds then seemed to flip a switch, as they put up a 8-2 run to go up 24-19.
 
After Thompson Rivers got one back, a service error from Pakhomenko gave UBC the 25-20 set win.
 
The third set was a back-and-forth battle early, but a monster block from the duo of Hanly-Kaufmanis, a service ace from Nicola Laniuk (Surrey, B.C.) and an attacking error from Pakhomenko helped the 'Birds open up a 15-10 advantage.
 
The WolfPack nearly drew even late in the frame, closing the deficit to 20-19, but a Kaufmanis drop-shot kill seemed to restore the UBC momentum.
 
After the 'Birds had built up a 24-21 lead, the WolfPack fended off five straight UBC match points, as they ripped off an improbable 6-0 run to take the set. Pakhomenko was unbelievable in that final stretch, knocking down three aces, and the final kill to give Thompson Rivers the win.
 
The WolfPack kept up the momentum in the fourth frame, going up 5-1 right off the opening whistle.
 
Down 7-3, a big block on Pakhomenko seemed to change the flow of play, as the 'Birds stormed back with a 5-1 run of their own, capped by a Brisebois hammer shot.
 
The WolfPack pushed ahead 16-14 on an ace from Brianne Rauch, reaching the technical timeout with the lead.
 
Down 20-19, Gentile stepped up to the line and dropped a terrific serve to bring the 'Birds back to even footing.
 
Soon after, the T-Birds took the lead back 21-20 off of a cross-court Kaufmanis snipe.
 
Phenomenal defence and a MacTaggart block put UBC up 24-22.
 
A Laniuk service error got Thompson Rivers an inch closer, but Kaufmanis ended the match on the next serve, delivering a dagger of a kill to give the Thunderbirds the victory.
 
UBC head coach Doug Reimer spoke to the character that his club showed in earning the win after the botched ending to the third set.
 
"For a lot of that, it wasn't our best play, but an important attribute of a good team is to be able to find a way to be successful, especially if things aren't always flowing completely well, and the ability to bounce back," said Reimer. "Godd determination for us to finish off a tight, close set."

UBC will host its final home games next weekend with Saskatchewan providing the opposition. TRU will also play at home next weekend, when it welcomes Trinity Western to Kamloops.