‘Birds Fall In Three Sets Saturday in Calgary

VANCOUVER – Saturday night in Calgary, the UBC Thunderbirds (11-9) dropped a 3-0 decision (25-20, 25-16, 29-27) to the Calgary Dinos (10-10). Michael Dowhaniuk led the way for UBC with 13 points and 10 kills while Mason Greves supplied 33 assists. Louis Kunstmann paced the Calgary attack with 14 points and added six digs. Calgary’s hitting percentage was a combined .307 while UBC was .159. It marked the second win in as many nights for the Dinos.
 
Less than 24 hours removed from a 3-1 loss on Friday, UBC started Saturday’s tilt with a 4-1 run. James Vincett, Conaire Taub and Matt Neaves all provided kills while Michael Dowhaniuk nailed a service ace. Shortly thereafter, Calgary responded with a 4-0 run of their own to take a 6-5 lead. Calgary’s next 4-0 run came with the score deadlocked at 10-10 with Jackson Meier serving. Liam Kupe then recorded back-to-back kills for the Dinos to extend their lead to 18-12. UBC did rattle off a 3-0 run when trailing 22-16, but four serves later Liam Kupe iced the first set for Calgary with a kill, giving them the 25-20 first-set victory.

 
Set 2 was all Calgary who jumped out to a 9-4 lead. The Dinos pieced together five separate runs of three-or-more points and hit .333 percent while UBC had 10 errors and hit for -.032 percent. Jackson Meier cemented the second set victory for Calgary with his lone kill. Michael Dowhaniuk’s three kills were a team-best in the second set for UBC.
 
Statistically, the third set was easily the best for Mike Hawkins‘ crew, who refused to go quietly into the night. The ‘Birds had leads of 8-6, 12-9 and 18-15, but were unable to hold off the surging Dinos who forced their way back into a 21-21 tie, and then three points later were at their first match point: 24-21. UBC were able to withstand four separate match points from the Dinos before Louis Kunstmann’s match-leading 12^th kill finally sealed the Thunderbirds’ fate.
 
The sixth placed ‘Birds now return home for a double-header weekend against Winnipeg (8-12) starting Friday at War Memorial Gym.