UBC Drops A Hard Fought Five-Set Road Decision to Trinity Western

VANCOUVER – For a second straight evening, by the slimmest of margins, the Trinity Western Spartans (10-0) secured a five-set victory over the UBC Thunderbirds (8-2). On Saturday night at the Langley Events Centre, the ‘Birds took a 2-1 lead into the fourth set, but the top-ranked Spartans responded with a 25-17 victory in Set 4, and a 15-10 victory in the final set to extend their unbeaten streak. UBC was led Saturday by the tandem of Cara Kovacs (15.5) and Erika Vermette (15.5) who combined for 31 points while Kayla Oxland managed 41 assists. Ansah Odoom led the Spartans with a game-high 21.5 points.
 
UBC held the lead for much of the first set and held a 22-21 advantage until a late run of four u unanswered points gave the Spartans the first set victory. UBC’s largest first set lead was 10-6 and they got there on the strength of three kills from Brynn Pasin and a pair of kills from Erika Vermette. Trinity’s first set featured four kills from Ansah Odoom and three from Kaylee Plouffe.

 
Back came the blue and gold in Set 2. Early on the UBC went on a pair of 4-0 runs to stake themselves to a 9-5 lead. From there they never trailed. An Erika Vermette kill off a Kayla Oxland setup helped clinch a 25-20 victory for the visitors to even the score at 1-1.
 
UBC then took a 2-1 lead in the Saturday affair thanks to a gutsy comeback bid. Trinity jumped out to a 4-0 lead, but Emma Doyon stopped the bleeding with a kill. With the Spartans leading 10-6, UBC then responded with five unanswered points – two of which were aces from Cara Kovacs. The teams then traded points back-and-forth but a Brynn Pasin kill clinched the 25-22 third set ‘W’ for UBC.
 
Trinity’s resolve was on full display in Set 4 as they never trailed on their way to a 25-17 win. 12 of the Spartans 25 points though came directly as a result of UBC errors – 10 of which were attacking errors. That meant for a second straight day the Spartans and Thunderbirds would require a fifth set to determine the winner.

 
Unfortunately for the visiting Thunderbirds, Trinity Western staked themselves to a 4-0 led in the final set and never looked back. Kills from Issy Robertshaw and Akash Grewal inched UBC back to within one point at 8-7 but from there Trinity Western outscored the ‘Birds 7-2 and secured the 15-10 result in the final set.
 
The UBC Thunderbirds will now head East to the Prairies for a Friday-Saturday showdown with Regina. Those two games against the Cougars will mark the final regular season games for UBC prior to the holiday break.