‘Pack rally but fall to T-Birds in season finale

KAMLOOPS – Despite taking the third set, the Thompson Rivers WolfPack men’s volleyball team was unable to earn a victory in their final regular season match as the visiting UBC Thunderbirds came away with a 3-1 (25-21, 25-19, 20-25, 25-21) victory inside the TCC.
 
“I think it was good to fight back a little bit,” said WolfPack fourth-year setter Sam Elgert. “The guys showed a little fight there at the end to come back.”
 
Sam Flowerday led the way for the WolfPack, finishing the afternoon with 13 kills. With those 13 kills kills Flowerday moved to 347 on the season. A pair of rookies contributed well for TRU, Archie Golding produced five kills while Gavin Margerison had six blocks to go along with two kills.
 
Matt Neaves had a game high 14.5 points including 13 kills and three block assists in just two sets, finishing the match hitting over 0.610 per cent. Reeve Gingera contributed with eight kills and an ace while Coltyn Liu had seven kills.
 
The first set was a back-and-forth affair with the two teams trading points. With the ‘Pack up 15-13 midway through the set, the Thunderbirds went on a 7-1 point run courtesy of a Mason Greves serving streak to take the lead. The teams would continue to trade points but the Thunderbirds saw out the set taking it 25-21. Neaves was electric for the Thunderbirds, racking up nine kills in the set, hitting over 0.81 per cent while Flowerday led the ‘Pack with six kills.
 
Riding another Greves serving streak, the Thunderbirds rode their momentum from the first set to jump out to a 7-0 start in the second, largely thanks to four team blocks. WolfPack Rookie Owen Waterhouse came off the bench and provided energy for the ‘Pack, putting down two kills on two attempts. The WolfPack managed to close the gap but the Thunderbirds – thanks to four kills from Neaves and Liu each – were in control the whole set en route to taking it 25-19.
 
The third set started out like the first, with both teams trading a slight lead back-and-forth. Down by one at 12-11, the WolfPack strung together four points in a row to retake the lead. Roan McCarthy came off the bench for the Thunderbirds and hit an efficient 0.6 per cent to finish the set with four kills, but Margerison was once again a huge presence at the net for the ‘Pack, putting down four blocks in the frame, including two massive solo blocks. The WolfPack continued their momentum to take the third set 25-20.
 
“I saw it at the beginning of the year, I knew Gavin had so much potential,” said Elgert on the play of Margerison. “He’s played great these last few weekends and I think he’ll be a big part of our team moving forward.”
 
The Thunderbirds built up a steady lead in the fourth set. Riding the offence of Gingera who put down six kills in the set, the Thunderbirds found themselves up 16-10. The WolfPack went on a 6-1 point run to claw their way back within one point. Flowerday put down seven kills in the set but it wasn’t enough for the ‘Pack as UBC was able to see the set out, finishing the match on McCarthy’s third kill of the set.
 
The game was the last of the season for a WolfPack squad that will finish the year in ninth place, just one spot away from a postseason berth.
 
UBC meanwhile will prepare for the Canada West playoffs next weekend after finishing the year with a record of 15-9.