WVB: Huskies Can’t Handle High Powered Thunderbirds

VANCOUVER – The UBC Thunderbirds (11-2) started the new year with an emphatic 3-0 (25-15, 25-15, 25-17) victory over the University of Saskatchewan Huskies (6-7) on Friday night at War Memorial Gym after a lengthy winter break.
 
Veteran middle Jayde Robertsen made her return to the court for the T-Birds with an efficient eight kills and three blocks, while Cara Kovacs finished with an impressive 11 kills, six aces and four blocks in the win.
 
Elise Petit put up nine kills with a team-high 11 digs, as Brynn Pasin and Erika Vermette each tallied seven kills and two blocks for the ‘Birds. Jolene Sibley led the Huskies with seven kills on an impressive .462 clip and chipped in with seven digs, while Mandi Fraser added six kills and an ace in the loss. 
 
A Kayla Oxland kill gave the ‘Birds a 12-9 advantage in the first, and Kacey Jost came up with a big dig to help the ‘Birds pull ahead midway through the set. UBC led by 10 after a Pasin block and, although Olivia Mattern extended the set for the Huskies, Robertsen dropped a tip for a 25-15 first set victory.
 
Petit unloaded on back-to-back kills from the left side for an eight-point cushion in the second before Lucy Borowski made it a 10-point lead at 20-10 T-Birds. Mattern earned an ace for Saskatchewan late in the frame, but Kovacs closed it out at 25-15.
 
Mandi Fraser served up an ace for the Huskies at 5-5 in the third and earned a kill to keep the visitors within single digits at 22-16 UBC, but the ‘Birds clamped down and captured the third with an Akash Grewal kill at 25-17.
 
Oxland had a match high 31 assists for UBC while Saskatchewan’s Averie Allard was held to just 16 assists in the match. UBC had 48 kills as a team swinging at a .350% while the visiting Huskies were held to just 25 kills and a .137%.
 
The Huskies will look to get their first win of 2023 tomorrow night when the two teams will rematch at 7:00 PM (CT) at War Memorial Gym in Vancouver. The game can be watched on CanadaWest.TV.