LANGLEY, British Columbia – The match-up of two U SPORTS Top 10 teams, the No. 3 Trinity Western Spartans and the No. 4 UBC Thunderbirds, did not disappoint in a fast-paced match Friday night at the Langley Events Centre in Langley, B.C. The Thunderbirds started strong and held off a hard-charging Spartans 3-1. The 25-17, 25-18, 19-25, 27-25 loss drops the Spartans to 6-1, while the win improves the Thunderbirds to 5-2.
 
Second-year outside Sienna Driedger (Grunthal, Man.) with 11 kills, and four digs, fourth-year outside Maryn Boldon (Okotoks, Alta.) with 10 kills, 16 digs, and two blocks, and fifth-year middle Kaylee Plouffe (Sherwood Park, Alta.) with 10 kills, six digs, and two blocks led the Spartans. Lucy Borowskki with 21 kills, nine digs, two blocks, and two aces, Aimee Skinner with 15 kills, and 10 digs, and Kylee Glanville with 13 kills, four digs, and four blocks led the Thunderbirds.
 
Third-year setter Tayana Dmitruk, with 35 set assists, led the Spartans' attack, while Issy Robertshaw, with 36 assists, led the Thunderbirds.
 
UP NEXT
The Spartans will finish the home-and-home series next week at War Memorial Gym in Vancouver, BC. Match time on Friday, November 21 is set for 7:30 p.m. (PT) and can be seen live on Canada West TV.
 
QUOTABLE
Ryan Hofer, TWU Head Coach
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AS IT HAPPENED
The Thunderbirds took the early lead, 16-14, in the fast-paced opening set.  UBC then took the following three points, and after a kill from Glanville, forced TWU into a timeout. Robertshaw continued her service run out of the timeout and extended the Thunderbirds' lead to seven points, 21-14. The Spartans were unable to close the gap down the stretch as the Thunderbirds took the opening set 25-17. TWU hit at .038 (7-6-26) in the opening set, while UBC hit at .406 (17-4-32).
 
The Spartans started strong in the second set and took an early 7-4 lead, but the Thunderbirds responded and tied the set at 7-7. The teams played side-out ball to 12-12. After three straight UBC points, TWU called a timeout, trailing by three points, 15-12. Out of the timeout, TWU cut the lead to one point, 15-14, after a UBC attack error. The Thunderbirds responded, taking six of the next seven points to lead 21-15 and put the Spartans into a timeout. The Thunderbirds continued to have the better of the Spartans over the final points to take the second set 25-18 and a 2-0 lead. TWU hit at .100 (10-7-30), while UBC hit at .235 (14-6-34).
 
TWU raised their game to start the third set, and after an Emma Graca kill, led 7-3 and put UBC into a timeout. The Spartans continued to control the game and extended their lead to six points, 11-5, after a Thunderbird attack error as UBC called its second timeout of the set. UBC closed to three points, 17-14, but three straight TWU points extended the Spartans' lead to 20-14 after a Plouffe kill.  A kill and an ace by Dmitruk put TWU up 22-14. The Spartans carried the momentum through the end of the set, taking the third set 15-19 and trailing 2-1. TWU improved their hitting to .400 (13-3-25), while UBC hit at .194 (14-7-36).
 
The fourth set was even through the first half of the set, with the two teams tied at 14-14. The Thunderbirds gained separation to lead 17-14 after a Borowski kill. But a Boldon kill cut the UBC lead back to one point, 17-16. Then a TWU service error and a Leonora Barbulowich-Nad service ace gave UBC a 19-16 lead, forcing the Spartans to take a timeout. The Thunderbirds took the next two points to extend the lead to 21-16 as TWU took their second timeout. TWU took four of the next five points to cut the UBC lead to two points, 22-20, with the Thunderbirds taking a timeout after a UBC attack error. After two side-out points, TWU tied the set at 24-24 and pushed the set to extra points, as UBC took its second timeout. The Spartans held off one set point before an attack error gave the Thunderbirds the set 27-25, and the match 2-1. TWU hit at .303 (15-5-33), while UBC hit at .361 (18-5-36).
 
NOTABLE

• The Spartans finished the night hitting at .211 (45-21-114), while the Thunderbirds finished at .297 (63-22-138).
• Spartans had the edge in blocks 9-8 and digs 44-41. While the Thunderbirds had the edge in aces at 4-2.
• Last week, the Spartans swept the Calgary Dinos, winning 3-0 on both nights at home at the Langley Events Centre.
• The Thunderbirds split with the Thompson Rivers Wolfpack last week in Kamloops, B.C. Losing 3-1 on Friday night and winning 3-2 on Saturday at the Tournament Capital Centre.
• TWU is currently 33-60 lifetime against the UBC Thunderbirds. Last year in conference play, the Spartans lost both matches to the Thunderbirds 3-0, at home and on the road in Langley, B.C.
• Earlier this season, the Spartans defeated the Thunderbirds 3-2 in preseason play on October 4 in Vancouver, B.C.

 
About Spartan Athletics
As official members of U SPORTS, the Spartans currently compete in 11 sports in the Canada West conference, including women's and men's soccer, volleyball, basketball, hockey and track & field, as well as women's rugby sevens. TWU also competes as in the NAIA in track and field and cross country and as an independent team in men's rugby and women's and men's disc golf. Since TWU entered U SPORTS in 1999, the Spartans have won 14 U SPORTS team championships and 33 Canada West team championships.

About Trinity Western University
Recognized for quality, TWU has received seven consecutive A+ rankings for Quality of Teaching and Learning, holds three Canada Research Chairs, and wins national championships in U SPORTS. More importantly, lives are changed at TWU through its whole-person, Christ-centred approach to education. With a wide array of undergraduate, graduate, and adult degree-completion programs, TWU equips leaders of character and competence to make a positive impact in the lives of others.  
 
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