Top-seeded UBC women’s volleyball fell in five sets to the second-seeded University of Manitoba Bisons in the Canada West (CW) championship on Saturday night.
The sold out game hosted 1,800 attendees, and the stands were electric with a large UBC crowd and a couple Manitoba supporters decked out in the team’s brown and gold. Students holding yellow T-Bird branded buckets cheered after every point.
The Thunderbirds started slow in the first set with two Bisons kills and a UBC attack error. But, a Lucy Borowski kill down the line gave the ‘Birds their first point of the game. Despite this, UBC never built back their momentum and Manitoba quickly garnered a four point lead, forcing UBC head coach Doug Reimer to call a timeout.
An ace from UBC’s Erika Vermette got the crowd loud and kills from Borowski and Akash Grewal, along with a Borowski ace tied UBC with Mantioba, 11–all. However, the Bisons capitalized on UBC errors and stayed ahead. A top-spin serve from Raya Surnix — the CW women’s volleyball player of the year — put the heat on the ‘Birds for the Bisons’ match point, but it was no match for CW libero of the year Kacey Jost. Eventually, a kill by Light Uchechukwu gave Manitoba their first set win, 25–17.
The second set started off on the right foot for the Bisons, with three of their four points being UBC errors. A kill and an ace from Ella Gray, along with UBC errors, gave the Bisons the upper hand once again. But even after a timeout at 8–4, the ‘Birds couldn’t recover with miscommunication and unforced errors shaking the team’s momentum. A UBC serving error gave Manitoba the set, 25–17.
The ‘Birds brought fire back to War Memorial in the third set. Led by Borowski kills, they gained momentum and worked as a cohesive unit for the first time this game. The teams traded points and a Vermette kill kept the Bisons from pulling away with a game win. A Manitoba attack error and a monster block by UBC’s Emma Doyon and Borowski swung the game in the ‘Birds favour, giving them a 25–24 lead. A cross-court swing from Vermette gave UBC the set, 26–24.
And the Thunderbird momentum didn’t stop in the fourth set. Despite another slow start and Mantioba lead, Bisons attack errors and UBC kills brought the teams to a tie. The teams traded points for much of the set, neither pulling away with a lead until another Gray kill brought the Bisons to 20 points while the ‘Birds lagged behind with 16.
But UBC wasn’t ready to let the Bisons win it all — attack errors, a kill by middle Jocelyn Lenarcic, two aces from Grewal and another cross-court Vermette kill brought the ‘Birds to set point.
A Uchechukwu attack was blocked by T-Birds Claire Cossarini and Trinity Solecki, but was kept alive by Manitoba. Another Uchechukwu swing was blocked by Cossarini-Solecki and kept alive. A Jost dig put the ‘Birds out-of-system, but a Solecki kill off the block from a Vermette assist pushed the teams to a fifth set, 25–23.
Grewal’s tough serves and UBC’s newfound spark gave them an early four-point lead, but Manitoba answered, gaining eight consecutive points. A UBC blocking error gave the Bisons match-point, and a deep Gray attack killed UBC’s chances at being CW champions.
“To beat a really good team, you got to be a really good team individually and … together,” said Reimer after the loss. “It's really good to have to face that kind of adversity now and see how we recover.”
“Overall as an event, I think it's great that we showcased the top two teams in Canada West tonight.”
UBC’s season isn’t over yet. Looking to win national gold for the second year in a row, the team will travel to Hamilton as the second-seed for the U Sports Championship and will go against host McMaster University on Friday.