VANCOUVER - The No. 5 UBC-ranked Thunderbirds took down the No. 4-ranked Montreal Carabins 3-1 in the day's fourth quarterfinal at the 2016 CIS Women's Volleyball Championship, coming back from a one-set deficit to take the final three frames of the match.
 
At the final whistle, the set scores read: 20-25, 25-20, 28-26, and 25-20.
 
Danielle Brisebois (Bolton, Ont.) and Juliana Kaufmanis (Richmond, B.C.) provided the offence for UBC, picking up 17 and 14 kills, respectively. Alessandra Gentile (Port Moody, B.C.) dropped a game-high five aces for the 'Birds, while Alissa Coulter (Calgary) notched three. Libero Samantha Patko (Vancouver) was excellent, with 10 digs.
 
Marie-Alex Belanger was everywhere for Montreal, as the Second Team CIS All-Canadian had a game-high 23 kills, 12 digs, and five blocks in the loss.
 
"It was a very physical match – Montreal is experienced, they're powerful, and it was great volleyball," said UBC head coach Doug Reimer. "I think we were better on the technical side, and we did great job in passing, and we out-served them. Our improved defence, along with our will to keep playing when things looked tough, was key."
 
The 'Birds fell victim to a phenomenal opening set from the Carabins attackers, as Montreal notched 16 kills on 23 attacks, led in particular by Belanger. The reigning RESQ MVP was nearly automatic in the opening set, totalling eight kills on just nine attacks, with no errors.
 
After the two sides battled to a 14-14 draw early in the second frame, the 'Birds ripped off a 6-0 run behind the dominant service play of Gentile, who dropped three aces during the run.
 
Up 24-17 before the Carabins reeled off three straight points to close the gap to four, Kaufmanis put down her third kill of the second frame to get the 'Birds their first set of the contest.
 
In the third stanza, down 5-0 after Montreal jumped out to a quick start, the 'Birds battled back.  A 9-4 run bookended by a pair of Brisebois kills and including two Coulter aces evened the score up at 9-9.
 
From there, neither side could get any separation, as a two-point difference between the Carabins and 'Birds was the largest either could manage as they found themselves in a 24-24 deadlock.
 
Kaufmanis put the 'Birds in the advantage position twice, only to be answered by Montreal on both occasions. Finally, a Brisebois dagger and a Belanger attacking error gave UBC the 28-26 decision.
 
To nobody's surprise, the 'Birds and Carabins couldn't be separated in the early stages of the fourth frame, tied 13-13. Then, a pair of phenomenal back-to-back blocks from UBC middle Ciara Hanly (Calgary) gave the 'Birds a two-point lead, one they would carry into the technical timeout.
 
The Carabins battled back, knotting the contest up 17-17, before the 'Birds unleashed a 5-0 run to put themselves up by a 22-17 margin. Kaufmanis ended the contest minutes later, delivering the final blow on a kill that gave the 'Birds a 25-20 set win, and the match.
 
The 'Birds are now set to face an old foe in the semis, as they'll take on the No. 1-ranked Trinity Western Spartans at 6 p.m. (PT) tomorrow evening.