Box Score Files from UBC Sports Information Department
The UBC Thunderbirds gained a weekend split in their match up with the University of Winnipeg Wesmen, recording a 3-1 (27-25, 25-23, 17-25, 26-24) victory Saturday night in Vancouver, BC..
Mat Guidi recorded 17 kills for UBC, while Irvan Brar had 16, and a team-best nine blocks. Byron Keturakis led the Thunderbirds in assists (46), digs (10) and service aces (4).
For Winnipeg, David Bommersbach had 17 kills, while Mikael Clegg had 38 assists. Logan Brennan had 10 digs. Nicholas Jacobson and Benoit Theriault shared the team lead with two blocks apiece.
In the opening set, a blistering Byron Keturakis serve down the line was initially called out – but that was overruled to give the 'Birds a 21-18 advantage. His second straight ace then put UBC up by four points.
After a timeout call by head coach Larry McKay, the Wesmen rallied. Kills from Daniel Thiessen, Brendan Thielmann, and Bommersbach were part of a 6-1 run that moved Winnipeg back in front of UBC, by score of 24-23. Two Brar kills in response gave the T-Birds their own set point at 25-24. A UBC service error evened the score, before Brar knocked down another kill, and then put up a solo block to win the set for the hosts.
Winnipeg asserted themselves in the second. Taylor Howe and Jacobson combined on a block to win a point that gave the Wesmen a 13-7 lead.
A Keturakis block brought the 'Birds back to within three points and Mat Guidi found his groove, carving up the Winnipeg back row. A Wesmen double-hit gave the T-Birds a set point, and they capitalized two points later on a Guidi kill – his sixth of the set – to take the tight second game 25-23.
In the third set, Thiessen sent the two teams into the technical timeout with a kill that put Winnipeg in front 16-9. UBC closed to 19-16 before the Wesmen clinched the set by taking six of the next seven points, thanks in part to a pair of kills each from Bommersbach and Benoit Theriault.
Brar got the 'Birds rolling to start the fourth with a crafty back row tip that fooled the Wesman defence. Guidi contributed a block and a kill to add to the Thunderbird lead, while the block party continued for Joel Regehr and Brar as they combined for 15 total blocks on the night. Keturakis switched up his formidable serve with a successful knuckler to give UBC a match point that Brar converted on his 16th and final kill.
Winnipeg (3-1) will continue their regular season schedule on the road in Calgary next weekend against the Dinos.
