T-Birds improve to 8-0 after another straight sets victory vs Cougars

CALGARY – The UBC Thunderbirds continue to soar following a sixth consecutive straight sets victory, completing the weekend sweep of the Mount Royal Cougars (25-17, 25-16, 25-14) Saturday night in Calgary.
 
With the win the T-Birds, who are dealing with some injury absences to key players still managed to improve to 8-0 on the campaign. For a second straight night, youth was served in a starting role as first-year Middle Blocker Leonora Barbulovich-Nad followed up a standout Friday night with an encore performance thanks to a .571 hitting percentage to go along with four kills. Also leading the way for the visitors were veterans Trinity Solecki with a team high eight kills and four service aces, while Akash Grewal added four kills and another four service aces. Kylee Glanville helped the cause with six kills.

 
Setting the tone for the hosts were Bronwynn Davies-Neira who registered a team high five kills to go along with one service ace, meanwhile Emma Boyd chipped in with four kills and three digs for the Cougars who fell to an even 4-4 on the season.

 
UBC enjoyed the advantage in all key stats en route to the straight sets victory as the final game sheet showed the blue and gold leading in total kills by a 31-19 margin, being more efficient in attack errors with 11 compared to the Cougars 20. The ‘Birds were also dominant from the service line, totaling 12 aces while MRU managed just two, and the telling tale of the tape showing UBC with an overall hitting percentage of .323 on the night, highlighted by reaching as high as a .421 percentage in the lopsided third and deciding set (25-14), while the Cougars mustered a -.016 hitting percentage by the time all was said and done.

 
Next up for the T-Birds they’ll look to keep their perfect season in tact when they host the MacEwan Griffins for a weekend double-header beginning next Friday November, 29 at 7:30 p.m. at War Memorial Gym. The weekend series will serve as UBC’s final home matches prior to the five-week holiday break.