The University of the Fraser Valley women's volleyball team started strong, but the UBC Thunderbirds' finishing kick proved to be too much on Saturday evening at the UFV Athletic Centre.
The Cascades took the first set 25-23, but the Thunderbirds came storming back to win the next three by scores of 25-13, 25-20 and 25-17, thus securing a sweep of the weekend series in Abbotsford.
Saturday's result, combined with a similar
four-set UBC win on Friday, allowed the Thunderbirds to vault into second place in the West Division at 7-5; UFV is in fourth at 5-7.
"We played better than last night," Cascades head coach
Janelle Rozema analyzed. "We controlled our contacts a little better. We were working on decision-making, so I think we were really aware of that and making good choices. I definitely think it was a step forward from last night, but still a ways to go."
The T-Birds built leads of 5-1 and 10-4 in the first set, with Cara Kovacs picking up a trio of kills and an ace, but the Cascades battled back. They scored six out of seven points midway through the set, with
Amanda Matsui blasting three kills during that stretch, to go ahead 15-14. Rookie setter
Kinna Fisher came off the bench to notch an ace and then set up Matsui and
Mo Likness for crucial kills down the stretch as UFV took it 25-23.
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The second set was all UBC, though – they raced out to a 7-1 lead and didn't look back from there, hitting a scorching .412 as a team compared to UFV's .037.
In the third set, the two teams were even at 14-14, but UBC gained some separation with back-to-back kills from Trinity Solecki, and they were able to maintain a modest lead the rest of the way and take it 25-20.
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The fourth set played out in similar fashion – a Brynn Pasin service run gave UBC a 16-14 lead at the technical timeout, and they would dominate down the stretch, scoring eight of the last nine points to end the match 25-17.
"We had a hard time closing the end of rallies," Rozema said, reflecting on her squad's struggles late in the third and fourth sets. "We were playing nice long rallies still, but we just weren't finishing them."
Amanda Matsui registered 10 kills for the Cascades, and Likness added five of her own to go with two solo blocks.
Emily Matsui (15) and
Sadie Wilson (12) both reached double-digit digs for the hosts.
Kovacs had a second straight strong outing for the Thunderbirds, racking up a game-high 14 kills. Solecki and Claire Cossarini had eight kills apiece, and setter Lucy Borowski had 36 assists and four service aces.
Up next for the Cascades volleyball teams is a home-and-home series vs. Trinity Western University – Thursday at the UFV Athletic Centre (MVB 6 p.m., WVB 8 p.m.) and Friday at the Langley Events Centre (WVB 6 p.m., MVB 8 p.m.).
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