T-Birds sweep Wolfpack to conclude Canada West regular season

KAMLOOPS – An efficient UBC Thunderbirds squad proved to be too strong for the Thompson Rivers WolfPack women’s volleyball team, as they fell 3-0 (25-23, 25-14, 25-13) in the final match of the season.
 
Prior to the game the WolfPack celebrated the career of four outstanding members of the ‘Pack. Hayley McNaught, Erin Mutch, Abby Spratt and Siobhan Toal all graduate from the program after representing TRU, Kamloops and the WolfPack for five years.
 
Brooklyn Olfert led the WolfPack with a game-high 11 kills, hitting over 0.55 per cent.  Mutch, Spratt and McNaught all had four kills each with Mutch also throwing in an ace.
 
Offence was evenly distributed for the Thunderbirds with nine different players recording kills. Lucy Borowski led the team with nine kills, two aces and four blocks while Brynn Pasin had seven kills. Cara Kovacs hit a sparkling 0.75 per cent on the night, finishing with six kills.
 
The Thunderbirds came out swinging to start off the first, getting out to an early lead. The WolfPack found themselves down by five points at 13-8, but after a strategic timeout, they slowly clawed their way back into the game. On the back of an Olfert serving streak, the WolfPack found themselves up 17-16. With the set tied up at 19-all, the two teams traded points until the score was 23-23. Mutch led the ‘Pack in the set with four kills to go along with an ace while Akash Grewal and Borowski had three kills each. The Thunderbirds took care of business to take the set 25-23.

 
Starting off the second set, the Thunderbirds came out hot. Kovacs finished off four kills in the set and Kyle Glanville came off the bench for the Thunderbirds to put away three kills on three attempts. Olfert had three more kills for the ‘Pack but the Thunderbirds were just too efficient, hitting 0.55 per cent as a team. Despite a late push from the WolfPack, the Thunderbirds took the set 25-14
 
The WolfPack got out to an early lead to start the third. The two teams traded points, as the score remained close until the half-way mark of the set. Olfert continued her form as she had another five kills in the set. Two aces in a row from Emma Doyon put the game out of reach for the ‘Pack as the Thunderbirds went on a 9-2 point run to end the set, finishing the set with a team attack of over 0.6 per cent.
 
The loss brings an end to a great WolfPack season. After claiming just two victories in 2021-22, the squad put together a record of 7-17 and finish just outside of the postseason picture.
 
For UBC, the win clinches third place in the conference. The Thunderbirds will now get set to host the Manitoba Bisons in playoff action next weekend.