KELOWNA, B.C. – The UBC Thunderbirds will return to the CIS Women's Volleyball Championship for the 21st time in the 22 years after beating the Alberta Pandas 3-0 (25-22, 25-21, 25-15) in the bronze medal game of the Canada West Final Four Saturday in Kelowna, B.C.
 
The win allowed UBC to pick up the third berth from the conference to the national championship tournament, which will run March 11-13 in Brandon, Man.
 
"Very proud of the effort, execution and poise we showed this evening," said UBC head coach Doug Reimer. "Without question, this was one of our most consistent efforts of the year and in the do-or-die qualification match makes it that much more satisfying."

On Saturday night in Kelowna, UBC took control of the match early, and never took their foot off the gas to earn the Canada West bronze medal.
 
Alberta, after dropping a heartbreaking five-set marathon in Friday's semifinal versus Trinity Western that finished at nearly midnight Edmonton time, never found a groove with the short turnaround to a 5 p.m. PT start on Saturday.
 
The T-Birds, having played the earlier match on Friday, were very effective in their attack.
 
UBC totaled 42 kills in the match with Danielle Brisebois (Bolton, Ont.), the Mikasa Player of the Match for the 'Birds, leading all hitters on the hardwood with 15 kills at a .387 attack rate. She added 11 digs to notch a double-double.
 
"Good performances from many of the players, but Dani was fully deserving of her player of the match as she continued her strong play," said Reimer. "Samantha Patko anchored the passing and defence which was solid as a team this evening."

Juliana Kaufmanis (Richmond, B.C.) also hit double digits in kills and digs, with 11 (.194) and 14, respectively.
 
The Pandas' Meg Casault let her team in successful attacks, scoring 14 (.167) and giving her 32 kills over the Canada West Final Four. She was named the Mikasa Player of the Match for Alberta. Kacey Otto had nine kills .094 and 11 digs. The Pandas finished the night with 29 kills and a .107 attack percentage, and UBC finished hitting .241.
 
UBC cemented the straight-sets win with an impressive performance in the third set, winning it 25-15. The final two points of the last set came on surprising back-to-back attack errors. UBC took a 16-11 lead into the technical time-out, following a powerful first-touch kill from Alissa Coulter (Calgary). The 'Birds did not allow the Pandas to take a lead, or tie, at any point in the set.
 
UBC won the opening set 25-22. The Thunderbirds led 16-12 at the first technical time-out. But the Pandas tied it up at 21-21, before taking the 22-21 lead on an Otto stuff block.
 
The Thunderbirds re-took the lead, 23-22, on a shutdown block of their own from Brisebois and Ciara Hanly (Calgary). Hanly was also a part of the set-winning block, along with Victoria Behie (Nanaimo, B.C.).
 
The Thunderbirds took the second set 25-21. UBC won the first four points to start the set, but the Pandas fought back to tie the set up at 9-9. The Thunderbirds quickly re-gained the lead, and took it in to the technical time-out at 16-11. They stretched their lead to 19-13 at its largest, and took the set on an attack error by Otto.
 
The Thunderbirds finished the match with a total of 60 digs and four service aces compared to the Pandas' 48 digs and five service aces.
 
UBC setter Alessandra Gentile (Port Moody, B.C.) led the match in assists (32). Pandas setter Mariah Walsh followed with (26).