Box Score VANCOUVER, B.C. - In a close forth-set match, the UBC Okanagan Heat women's volleyball team fell to their sister-school, the UBC ThunderBirds by scores of 25-23, 14-25, 19-25, 23-25 on the road Friday evening.
In a high tempo first-set, the two well-matched teams traded points back-and-forth consistently until a Heat time-out that was well-used by the ThunderBirds propelled them to the lead, 17-13. However, the Heat responded quickly and scored six straight points to get back in the game. UBC called a timeout to reorganize and reset, which resulted in a Brynn Pasins kill to keep the T-Birds. in the match. But UBCO kept the lead and acquired the first set win with a well-placed kill from Amaya Perry of Chin, Alta.
The second set was a different story as the Thunderbirds jumped out to an early three point lead. A well-used timeout allowed the Heat to find rhythm and close the early deficit. However, UBC's Trinity Solecki proved to be too much for the Heat to overcome as she scored three crucial kills to lead the home team to a crucial second set win.
The Thunderbirds got on the board early in the third set as Solecki scored back-to-back kills to establish an early lead. The Heat were able to cut into the advantage but once again, UBC pulled away to take the third set 25-19.
UBCO began the final set with two kills from Jade Bussard of Red Deer, Alta., giving them an 3-1 lead. But the lead wouldn't last for long and the two teams would trade advantages back and forth throughout the set.
Ultimately, the home team was able to prevail late in the set to claim the victory.
Bussard had a massive game for the Heat, finishing with a season-best 16 kills thanks to a .282 hitting percentage, while adding four blocks and nine digs for a total of nineteen points for the Heat. Like Bussard, Sydney Grills, a fourth-year from Vancouver, B.C., had a strong swing for UBCO as well on Friday, contributing a total of 14 kills with a .229 hitting percentage, three blocks and ten digs.
Solecki, a second-year Arts student from Cochrane, Alta., paced the Thunderbirds thanks to 13 kills with an outstanding .502 hitting percentage, three digs and two blocks for a total of 16 points.
The Heat will be back in action on Saturday, February 19 at 3 p.m. to compete once more against their sister-school, the UBC Thunderbirds. All action can be watched live on CandaWest.tv presented by Co-op.
