Box Score VANCOUVER - It took five sets and six match points but the UBC Okanagan Heat women's volleyball team earned their first-ever win at the War Memorial Gym against the UBC Thunderbirds on Saturday night as they won 25-22, 24-26, 18-25, 25-16, 18-16.
Coming into the match, the Heat were 0-9 all-time on road at UBC including a four-set loss on Friday night.
Sydney Grills, a product of Vancouver, led the game with 14 kills off 41 attacks. Her second straight 14-kill performance was boosted with 10 digs and six total blocks.
After the Heat grabbed the opening frame, well-timed runs helped the Thunderbirds take the second and third sets. In the second stanza, the T-Birds battled back from a 17-9 Heat lead. During the third, the Heat took a 16-13 lead into the technical break but a 12-2 run helped UBC grab a 2-1 lead in the match.
With the same 16-13 lead in hand in the fourth set, UBCO's Natalie Funk ensured the Heat would capitalize on this opportunity, putting up back-to-back aces en route to a 25-16 set win.
Funk, a rookie from Strathmore, Alta., finished the match with five kills, three service aces, and five block assists.
The Heat took control of the game in the fifth set and were poised to pick up the win when they took a 14-11 lead in the first to 15 frame. UBC would battle off four match points, but an untimely service error allowed Amaya Perry to end the game at 18-16.
Perry, from Chin, Alta., racked up nine kills and 11 digs in the win. Jade Bussard, a third-year from Red Deer, Alta., led the Heat with 46 attacks and 15 digs, racking up 12 kills in the process.
UBC attackers Claire Cossarini and Brynn Pasin each had 13 kills for UBC. Cossarini added six blocks, while Pasin chipped in with 16 digs.
Both schools setters, Abigail Dueck for the Heat and Kayla Oxland for the T-Birds, each recorded 37 assists. Hailing from Winnipeg, Dueck tied her career-best output of assists with her performance.
The win keeps the Heat above .500, now sitting at 7-5 for the year. As for UBC, the loss drops them to 8-6 on the year with a handful of games remaining. The win also snaps the Heat's three-game losing skid and keeps them in the hunt for second place in the West division.
The Heat's week is not done yet as they head to Abbotsford for a pair of matches against the UFV Cascades on Sunday, February 20 and Monday, February 21 as they play games in four games in as many days.
Catch the action on Canada West TV presented by Co-op live on Sunday at 6 p.m. and Monday at 3 p.m.
