KAMLOOPS, B.C. – The UBC Thunderbirds (4-2) pulled out a dramatic 3-2 win (25-23, 16-25, 25-20, 21-25, 15-11) over the Thompson Rivers WolfPack (4-2) on Saturday, to split the two-game series.
The evenly matched opponents played nine of a possible 10 sets over the weekend, with the 'Pack pulling out the 3-1 victory on Friday before the 'Birds stormed back to take a five-set thriller. The marathon matched lasted over two and a half hours, giving fans at the Tournament Capital Centre plenty of entertainment on Saturday afternoon.
UBC's
Kylee Glanville was the top attacker on the court in the series finale, racking up a match-high 21 kills, along with an ace and five blocks.
Issy Robertshaw compiled 54 assists, a new season high, adding 11 digs and an ace.
Jocelyn Lenarcic had a team-high 11 blocks for the 'Birds.
As a team, the T-Birds were ahead in all major statistical categories save aces. Most notably, they out-hit the WolfPack .276-.174 and out-blocked them 13-7.
After dropping the first three points of the match, the 'Birds worked their way back to a slim advantage before weathering a late rally from the 'Pack to hold on for a 25-23 first set win.
TRU bounced back in a big way in set number two, pulling away to take it 25-16, the most one-sided frame of the match.
A pressure-packed third set swung UBC's way after
Aimee Skinner and
Lucy Borowski led the team on a pair of crucial three-point runs to gain separation, before kills by
Elizabeth Lee and
Leonora Barbulovich-Nad sealed the 25-20 T-Birds win.
The 'Pack bounced back yet again in set four, scoring seven of eight points early in the frame and never relinquishing that advantage on the way to a 25-21 victory to set up a decisive fifth set.
UBC started the final frame of the weekend with a Glanville ace on the team's first service attempt, sparking a quick 3-1 lead. The two sides traded points until a pair of kills by Lee powered a T-Birds' run to go up 12-8. The WolfPack won the next two points to draw a timeout from the 'Birds, but any hope of a rally by the home side was snuffed out by a walk-off block from Barbulovich-Nad and Robertshaw to take the marathon match with a 15-11 fifth set victory.
The T-Birds play their fifth consecutive road game next weekend, when they make the short trip to Langley for a February 14th matchup with the undefeated Trinity Western Spartans. First serve is set for 5:00 p.m. (PT) at the Langley Events Centre.
