Photo by Rob Weitzel - www.sportsshooter.ca
REGINA (CIS) – The University of British Columbia Thunderbirds defeat the University of Regina Cougars three sets to one (22-25, 25-23, 25-12, 25-16) during the CIS Championship quarter-finals at the Centre for Kinesiology, Health and Sport on Friday.
The heavily favoured UBC Thunderbirds secured their place in a semifinal match with a 3-1 win over the hometown Regina Cougars. Losing the first set, the Canada West champion T-Birds were able to take three in a row, knocking Regina down to the consolation semifinal in the CIS women’s volleyball championship.
The Thunderbirds will continue on their road into the record books as they look towards their seventh straight banner win. They will take on the winner of the Laval Rouge et Or against McMaster Marauders Friday night quarter-final meeting, during Saturday’s semifinal match scheduled for 8 p.m. CST at CKHS.
The top seed coming into the tournament, UBC had to battle the No. 8 Cougars and their home crowd. But the host team ended up being no match for Lisa Barclay, who topped the game with 20 kills on 42 attempts and 13 digs, Mariah Bruinsma, with a game high eight blocks, and Briana Liau Kent who added ten digs for the T-Birds.
Regina was able to hold their own but it proved to be not enough in the challenge against the No. 1 Thunderbirds. Desiree Ates topped her teammates with 14 digs, 14 kills and three service aces, while Michelle Sweeting added to the team with 12 kills.
The Cougars will now meet the loser of the late night Friday quarter-final match of Laval verse McMaster in Saturday’s 3 p.m. CST consolation semifinal.
The first set of the match proved that the favoured UBC could not take Regina lightly, as it was a back and forth battle, with the Cougars coming out on top. However, the T-Birds came back to take the second set and led for the entire third to come out 2-1 going into the fourth. From there, UBC dominated the fourth set to secure the match and take with them the win.
UBC’s defense held strong with 28 blocks to Regina’s 12 and challenged the home team’s 37 kills and .083 hitting with a .212 at 57 kills.
STAT LEADERS
UBC
Kills: Lisa Barclay (20), Rosie Schlagintweit, Juliana Kaufmanis
(8)
Points: Lisa Barclay (24), Abbey Keeping (11)
Blocks: Mariah Bruinsma (8)
Digs: Lisa Barclay (13)
Service aces: Mariah Bruinsma (2)
Player of the match: Alissa Coulter
Regina
Kills: Desiree Ates (14), Michelle Sweeting (12)
Points: Desiree Ates (18), Michelle Sweeting (14)
Blocks: Molly Wade-Cummings (4)
Digs: Desiree Ates (14)
Service aces: Desiree Ates (3)
Player of the match: Michelle Sweeting
CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE (all times CENTRAL TIME)
Friday, February 28
13:00 Quarter-final #1: Dalhousie 3, Trinity Western 1 (25-21,
15-25, 25-19, 25-23)
15:00 Quarter-final #2: Manitoba 3, Ottawa 0 (25-17, 25-23,
25-16)
18:00 Quarter-final #3: UBC 3, Regina 1 (22-25, 25-23, 25-12,
25-16)
20:00 Quarter-final #4: No. 4 Laval vs. No. 5 McMaster (www.CIS-SIC.tv)
Saturday, March 1
13:00 Consolation #1: Trinity Western vs. Ottawa (www.CIS-SIC.tv)
15:00 Consolation #2: Regina vs. Loser quarter-final #4 (www.CIS-SIC.tv)
18:00 Semifinal #1: Dalhousie vs. Manitoba (www.CIS-SIC.tv)
20:00 Semifinal #2: UBC vs. Winner quarter-final #4 (www.CIS-SIC.tv)
Sunday, March 2
13:00 5th place (www.CIS-SIC.tv)
15:00 Bronze medal (www.CIS-SIC.tv)
18:00 Championship final (www.CIS-SIC.tv)
About Canadian Interuniversity Sport
Canadian Interuniversity Sport is the national governing body of university sport in Canada. Every year, 11,000 student-athletes and 700 coaches from 55 universities and four regional associations vie for 21 national championships in 12 different sports. CIS also provides high performance international opportunities for Canadian student-athletes at Winter and Summer Universiades, as well as numerous world university championships. For further information, visit www.cis-sic.ca or follow us on:
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