VANCOUVER – The Canada West leading Trinity Western Spartans managed to come out on top in all three entertaining back and forth sets to sweep the UBC Thunderbirds 3-0 (25-21, 25-23, 25-22) in front of a colourful crowd on Pride Night at War Memorial Gym. Every year, UBC partners with the Vancouver Gay Volleyball Association to put on an action-packed evening to celebrate inclusivity and LGBTQ+ pride. Festivities included a lip-sync battle, a drag volleyball game, a 50/50 draw and more!
It's a fourth straight win for TWU who improve to 18-2 on the campaign while the T-Birds fell to 8-10 on the season.
Leading the way for the Spartans was Hilary Howe with 10 kills followed by Ansah Odoom and Mikaelyn Sych who each registered eight kills. Meanwhile Dora Komlodi matched a game high six service aces. For the T-Birds it was
Gabrielle Attieh who matched the game high 10 kills while
Brynn Pasin followed up with eight kills.
Olivia Furlan added six service aces and 18 assists.
The T-Birds jumped out to a quick start on home court and a 7-1 lead following an emphatic
Anna Price block which forced TWU to call their first timeout. The break served the Spartans well, responding by scoring the next six straight points to even things at 7-7 and causing UBC to call a timeout. The 'Birds also responded in battling back and thanks to a Furlan ace the home squad took a 16-14 advantage into the technical timeout. Momentum would swing once again in TWU's favor highlighted by a demonstrative Odoom Kill to give the visitors a 23-19 lead before a UBC error earned the Spartans a 25-21 opening set victory. Komlodi had a set high six service aces for TWU while Sych and Howe had three kills each.
The Spartans carried their effective play into the second set and an Avery Heppell block doubled their lead at 10-5 before a Pasin kill down the line and one of Furlan's three service aces in the period helped UBC narrow the lead and trail 16-12 at the technical timeout. Later in the frame
Brynn Pasin would count three-straight points for the 'Birds followed by an Attieh block to even things at 21-21 but TWU would hold strong and secure the second set 25-23 after a UBC attack sailed long.
The third set began with the same back and forth trading of points as the previous two while back-to-back blocks from
Tessa Davis and Pasin gave UBC a brief 9-8 lead. TWU would then go on a run thanks to a block from Sych and Odoom ahead of Jayden Bontkes going sky high for a big kill to give the Spartans a 16-13 lead into the technical timeout. Despite UBC making it close at points down the stretch the Spartans were able to secure victory with help from Hillary Howe's kill leading to match point at 24-20 followed by one of Sych's three kills in the final set to secure the 25-22 victory and complete the 3-0 sweep.
The Spartans will next host Brandon for back-to-back games next weekend in Langley while the T-Birds also remain on home court welcoming Regina to the Point Grey campus next Friday and Saturday night.
