T-Birds topple Griffins in 4 units

VANCOUVER – The UBC Thunderbirds took down the MacEwan College Griffins 3-1 (25-23, 25-22, 10-25, 25-20) at Battle Memorial Fitness center to enhance to 4-1 on the Canada West common season.
 
“To their credit score, I believed MacEwan performed rather well,” stated UBC head coach Mike Hawkins after the ‘Birds earned their third consecutive victory. “They acquired rather well and one in all our focusses for the night time was constant service stress. That did not repay till the latter half of the fourth set, which was irritating for a few of our guys – who then have been possibly reaching again and making an attempt to do an excessive amount of. Kudos to MacEwan.”
 
Matt Neaves had a team-high 16 kills and added 4 aces, three blocks, and 5 digs for the T-Birds, Michael Dowhaniuk put up 10 kills with three aces and 5 digs, and Gerard Murray totalled 5 kills with 4 blocks and an ace within the victory.

 

“That was a reasonably typical Neaves recreation,” stated Hawkins because the fourth-year hitter returned dwelling after an impressive efficiency on the highway earned him each Canada West and U SPORTS Participant of the Week honours. “We discovered him on the proper occasions versus going to him to bail us out like we’ve got in earlier matches. I feel we simply want to seek out a bit bit extra offence anyplace apart from him to get us going.”  

 

For the Griffins, who’re nonetheless searching for their first victory, Alexei Walisser led the staff with 17 kills, Jefferson Morrow had 11 kills with 9 digs, and setter Alexander Lyndon had 34 assists with three aces and two kills.

 

A marathon rally within the first set introduced the Griffins inside one at 11-10 UBC and the 2 groups traded blows to a 20-20 tie earlier than Neaves cracked a kill for the lead. The ‘Birds went up 23-21 after a MacEwan error and closed out the set at 25-23 with a pair of Neaves again row kills.

 

Walisser scored on a again row kill for the Griffins early within the second, however UBC received a prolonged rally to knot it up at 3-3 and Neaves earned a solo block for an 11-7 benefit. The guests pulled inside one on a Lyndon kill at 19-18 earlier than Dowhaniuk picked up a kill on a free ball and served an ace at 23-20. A Dowhaniuk again row kill lifted the ‘Birds to a set level that they transformed with a MacEwan service error at 25-22.

 

The Griffins stormed out to a 6-0 lead within the third set earlier than Jesse Umoren scored a kill to place UBC on the board. Cole Brandsma entered the sport and earned two kills for the T-Birds, however the Griffins prolonged their result in seven factors on a Morrow kill at 13-6. Morrow notched one other kill for a 20-8 lead and MacEwan took the set on a UBC error at 25-10.

 

Neaves dialled up a kill for a 6-3 lead within the fourth set and Dowhaniuk cranked an ace for a 15-11 UBC benefit. Walisser minimize the deficit to a few with a kill at 22-19 T-Birds, however Neaves added one other kill for a match level that ended on a MacEwan assault error at 25-20.

 

The ‘Birds and Griffins take to the court docket at Battle Memorial Fitness center for a rematch on Saturday night at 6:45 p.m. (PT). Tickets can be found on-line and all of the motion will be streamed dwell on Canada West TV.