Shorthanded Thunderbirds complete sweep of the Spartans

Despite missing multiple key players on the road against their biggest rivals, the UBC Thunderbirds rose to the occasion and defeated the Trinity Western Spartans in straight sets (26-24, 25-20, 25-20).

It was a second 3-0 victory over TWU in as many weeks for the T-Birds, who have only dropped two sets through their first six matches.

Trinity Solecki led the way for UBC with 10 kills and 11 digs (both team-highs), along with a pair of aces. Akash Grewal recorded nine kills and six digs, while Olivia Furlan put up four kills, six assists, nine digs and three blocks, playing as an outside hitter rather than a libero.

The first set was very back and forth for quite a while, with neither team able to create separation. There were successive ties at 11, 12 and 13 points apiece, before the Spartans reeled off a mini run to make it 16-13.

The T-Birds bounced right back though, with an 8-1 burst to launch themselves into the lead. Highlights included a block and a kill on successive plays by Grewal, before Solecki landed consecutive aces to put the score at 21-17 in favour of the visitors.

However, the Thunderbirds couldn’t rest as the Spartans made a push to tie things up once again. The set was pushed past the 25-point barrier, before UBC finally took it 26-24 with a block by Solecki and Leonora Barbulovich-Nad.

The second set began the same as the first, with plenty of back and forth before the Spartans opened up the first notable lead at 10-7.

Once again, the Thunderbirds responded with a big run of their own, quickly retaking the lead. A block from Furlan and Emelie Silovs then made it 14-11, before an ace by Issy Robertshaw forced a TWU timeout.

The Thunderbirds continued to forge ahead, with an ace by Furlan making it 22-16 for their biggest lead of the set. The T-Birds closed it out from there, with a Grewal kill ending things at 25-20.

That UBC momentum carried over to the third set, where the Thunderbirds immediately jumped out to a big advantage. After a pair of kills by Solecki and Furlan made it 7-2, the T-Birds extended their lead to 11-3.

While the Spartans tried to push back, UBC continued to hold them at arm’s length. An ace from Barbulovich-Nad made it 17-9 for the road team, before the rookie middle blocker later closed out the victory with a kill right on the Spartans’ logo.

The Thunderbirds now get a bye week, before they head to Calgary to take on Mount Royal on November 22nd and 23rd.