VANCOUVER - The UBC Thunderbirds (6-6) hit the court for the first time in over a month with a road trip to Edmonton to battle the MacEwan Griffins (9-5). The T-Birds have their sights set on snapping a three-game slide as all the action gets underway Friday, January 10, at 5:00 p.m. PT with game two on Saturday, January 11, at 4:00 p.m. PT. 

UBC had their fair share of ups and downs through the first 12 matches of the season and find themselves seventh in the Canada West standings as the second half of the regular season gets underway. MacEwan went on a six-match win streak to close out the 2019 calendar year, but split their first series of 2020 and currently sit in fifth place.

Third-year T-Bird middle Gabrielle Attieh is third in the conference with an average 3.67 kills per set, second-year UBC setter Kayla Oxland averages the third most assists per set in the Canada West with 9.52, and Vancouver's Cara Kovacs leads the 'Birds with 0.71 blocks per set.

Graduating senior Anna Price has a team-high 2.54 digs per set and contributed 0.51 aces per set to lead the UBC from the service line through the first semester.

Last Action

The Thunderbirds finished 2019 with a pair of losses in Edmonton - falling 3-1 and 3-0 on the road to the Alberta Pandas. UBC led Alberta in all major statistical categories on night one, as Attieh totalled 16 kills with four aces and nine digs, but were unable to close out the Pandas in three tight sets. Brynn Pasin put up 21 kills and 18 digs over the weekend, while Jayde Robertsen totalled 13 kills and 4 blocks over seven sets. 

MacEwan took down the Saskatchewan Huskies (9-5) 3-1 on the road to extend their win streak to seven consecutive matches, but dropped a 3-0 decision the following evening to once again draw even with the Huskies with 18 points in the standings. Hailey Cornelis led the Griffins in their last series with 22 kills, 30 dogs, 6 blocks and 2 aces over seven sets.