Lucy Borowski in mid air, arm extended straight above her head and starting to come down on the ball in an attack
Connor Hood/Alberta Athletics
1
UBC Thunderbirds UBC 14-4,14-4
3
Winner University of Alberta Pandas ALB 15-3,15-3
UBC Thunderbirds UBC
14-4,14-4
1
Final
3
University of Alberta Pandas ALB
15-3,15-3
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 F
UBC Thunderbirds UBC 19 16 25 19 (1)
University of Alberta Pandas ALB 25 25 23 25 (3)

Game Recap: Women's Volleyball | | Alberta Communications

T-Birds fall in U SPORTS Championship game rematch

EDMONTON – The U SPORTS No.1-ranked UBC Thunderbirds (14-4) lost their second straight match to the No.4-ranked Alberta Pandas (15-3) at the Saville Community Sports Centre. The series sweep somewhat avenges the T-Birds' victory over the Pandas in last season's U SPORTS Championship Final.

It's the first time that the Pandas have swept UBC since November 29/30, 2019. The sweep also sees the 15-3 Pandas jump ahead of the 14-4 Thunderbirds into third place in Canada West.
Lucy Borowski led UBC with 16 kills on 46 attempts, finishing as the only T-Bird with 10 or more kills. Issy Robertshaw finished one assist off her season best, dishing out 34 in the loss. 

Abby Guezen led Alberta with a match-high 19 kills, 15 of which came in the first two sets. Laila Johnston added 15, with Justine Kolody dishing a match-best 42 assists. 

The Pandas finished with a 55-45 kill advantage, a stark contrast from the extremely tight five-setter on Friday night. 

The Thunderbirds circle together to celebrate a point

Guezen was unstoppable in the first two sets, scoring 15 kills on just 22 attempts, adding only one error. The Pandas led both the first two sets for their entirety, needing only 45 minutes to stake a 2-0 lead. 

UBC was plagued by errors in the opener, committing six attack and five service errors. 

Along with eight kills from Guezen in the second, the Pandas had Johnston and Mackenzie Pool add four each in a quick 25-16 set win. Struggling to find the floor, UBC had just eight kills in the second set. 

The third set was easily the best of the match, featuring nine ties and three lead changes. Borowski and Kylee Glanville scored five kills each, as UBC found their groove with 15 kills in the set. Aided by improved defence, to the tune of 13 digs and two blocks, the 'Birds pulled out a 25-23 win, earning three-straight points to erase a late 23-22 Alberta lead.

Leonora Barbulovich-Nad reaching for a ball at the edge of her range to attack, right on the net, an Alberta blocker is in the midst of sliding over to challenge her

The Pandas didn't let the comeback bid last long, jumping ahead by four in the fourth, a lead they would never relinquish. Johnston put the exclamation mark on the win with five kills on just nine attempts in the final set.

The T-Birds return home for their final series of the regular season when they host the Canada West-leading UFV Cascades in a Friday-Saturday back-to-back at War Memorial Gym.
 
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