KELOWNA, B.C. – The UBC Thunderbirds completed the weekend series sweep of the host UBC Okanagan Heat with a straight sets victory Saturday night at the UBC Okanagan Gymnasium.
 
Taking each set by the minimum margin (25-23, 30-28, 25-23), the 'Birds (15-5) were led by Michael Dowhaniuk who finished off each stanza and ended the night with a game-high 15 kills, a new season high.
 
Setter Ben Hooker was outstanding on the night, racking up 36 assists in the three set match along with five digs and three kills.
 
It was another tough night at the service line for both squads, combining for 29 errors and just seven aces, 20 of those errors courtesy of the T-Birds.



In a tightly contested first set that saw both teams go on runs, a key timeout would help turn the tides for the T-Birds. Coming out of the timeout the visitors scored four points in a row, erasing a UBCO lead. Dowhaniuk and Matt Neaves would each have four kills as UBC took the opening set 25-23.

A nail-biting second set would ensue. The home squad fought off set-point after set-point to keep the frame alive but the duo of Neaves and Dowhaniuk proved too much to overcome as the 'Birds took the set 30-28.
 
The Heat pushed for a comeback in the third but fell short as UBC was able to take the set 25-23.
 
Guaranteed a top-four regular season finish, the T-Birds are back home next weekend to host the Brandon Bobcats at War Memorial Gym for the final series of the regular season with third place in the Canada West on the line.