BRANDON, Man. — The UBCO Heat women's volleyball team (3-8) fought hard in a nail-biting five-set match against the Brandon Bobcats (1-8), ultimately falling short with a final score of 25-17, 20-25, 25-23, 21-25, 13-15. 

The Heat racked up 56 kills and 72 digs, but the Bobcats clinched the win with 12 service aces.

Marija Josipovic was a force at the net with five total blocks, bolstering UBCO's defensive efforts. Madison Gardner matched her defensive prowess with six blocks and added five kills with a .300 hitting percentage. Leading the offence, Ali Rathlef hit a career-high 10 kills on 19 attempts, boasting a .368 hitting percentage. Natalie Funk was relentless, amassing 13 kills and nine digs for a team-high 15.5 points.

For the Bobcats, Nerissa Dyer shone with 14 kills on a .591 hitting percentage, alongside four block assists and two service aces, contributing 18 points. Carly Thomson was pivotal with 42 assists and five aces, adding 13 points to the team's tally. 

The Heat took advantage of Brandon's errors to claim the first set 25-17. UBCO's block duo of Josipovic and Gardner was crucial, causing multiple attack errors from the opposition, including a key block at 15-6. Kylan Finseth's setting facilitated kills from Gardner and Funk, allowing UBCO to maintain a commanding lead.

In the second set, UBCO couldn't sustain its momentum and fell 25-20. Despite being close early, the Bobcats put together a 7-0 late in the set, including two service aces from Thomson, sealing the win for Brandon.

UBCO narrowly clinched the third set 25-23. Key moments included a pivotal service ace from Hayden Hagel, tying the score at 23-23, and a crucial block by Rathlef and Korey Jenkins setting up the match-winning point. Despite several service errors, UBCO's ability to leverage the Bobcats' attack errors was key to their comeback.

The Bobcats took the fourth set 25-21. Despite a late surge by UBCO, including a service ace from Hagel narrowing the gap to 19-18, Brandon's consistent service pressure with five aces proved decisive. UBCO's efforts featured multiple kills from Faith Solecki and Rathlef, but critical service errors stalled their momentum.

UBCO fell to the Bobcats in a tense fifth set 15-13. The Heat initially led 3-1 with Gardner's service ace and kills from Josipovic and Gardner. However, Brandon capitalized on pivotal errors and a timely ace from Thomson to regain control. Despite a late push from UBCO to tie the set at 13-13 with a kill from Rathlef, the Bobcats secured victory with a decisive block, closing the frame with two consecutive points.

Next, UBCO will face the Brandon Bobcats again on Saturday, Nov. 29 at 3 p.m. in Brandon, Man. The Heat aim to secure a road victory in this rematch which fans can catch live on CanadaWest.tv presented by BioSteel.

Game Notes:
- Rathlef recorded a career-high of 10 kills
- Funk achieved a career-high total of 45 attack attempts
- Hagel registered a career-high 16 assists