Consolation brackets present a unique challenge. The ultimate goal is lost. Instead of playing for first, you play for fifth. Motivation has to come from elsewhere. For this UBC team, they found the drive they needed to end the season on a high note, allowing the T-Birds’ graduating all-star, Lucy Borowski, to end her career on a win, securing fifth.
Against Montréal, UBC’s season came dangerously close to ending after a disappointing opening set, but they didn’t let the deficit faze them. Responding by winning three straight sets, they gave themselves new life from the service line, with 11 service aces to the Carabins’ three.
After these in-province rivals had battled to the final point of the fifth set in their last two meetings, it felt like a given that this game, on the national stage, would also go the distance. Instead, Trinity Western swept the T-Birds, taking advantage of UBC’s inability to convert late in all three sets.
Coming off a five-set playoff thriller against Trinity Western that they lost by only two points, taking them out of contention for the conference title, the T-Birds weren’t given much time to process. It didn’t matter. They scored a decisive win in the bronze medal game, giving them crucial momentum before nationals.
One of the best rivalries in Canada West this year has been the battle between UBC and Trinity Western in women’s volleyball. Their most recent regular season matchup went a full five sets, with UBC winning by two points, 15–13. In the playoffs, the Spartans flipped the script, beating the ‘Birds 15–13 in a decisive fifth semifinal set.
While UBC’s Game 1 win against the UFV Cascades was convincing, taking out their crosstown rival in four sets, there was room for improvement. In Game 2, they were much more complete, settling into the game and eliminating those playoff jitters, setting themselves up well for the next round.
Through two sets, some level of panic had to be setting in for the T-Birds. Coming in heavily favoured, they had split their first two sets against the UFV Cascades, and had been outplayed. But then, in the remaining sets, while UFV succumbed to unforced errors, UBC diversified their attack and grew stronger as the game went on.
Heading into this game, both UBC and UBCO had their playoff positioning secure — the T-Birds were in, while the Heat were out. Both teams wanted to finish well and send a message. The ‘Birds sent a strong one, showing off their experience to extend their winning streak into the playoffs.
While the score — a 3–1 victory for the No. 2 Thunderbirds — would imply a comfortable victory, the UFV Cascades made it anything but, pushing the 'Birds with large scoring runs in every set.
In her first point as a Thunderbird, when Lucy Borowski went to set the ball, it went straight through her hands. Now, in her fifth and final year, she's one of the best volleyball players in the country — a first-team all-Canadian, national team member and national championship MVP.
The 'Birds swept the Dinos in straight sets on Saturday afternoon, winning two in a row against Calgary without losing a set. Yet, in this one, the Dinos played much closer than the score indicates.
Coming off a frustrating fifth set loss on the road against Saskatchewan last weekend, UBC bounced back in emphatic fashion on Friday night, sweeping the MacEwan University Griffins in straight sets.
Every season of Gilmore Girls has one dedicated holiday episode and every rewatch, I reconfirm my opinion that season 2, episode 10 “The Bracebridge Dinner” is the best of them.
After a marathon two and a half hour match, the Thunderbirds stayed strong in the final seconds, securing a second-straight victory against Trinity Western University, beating them 15–13 in the fifth and final set.
In the last few minutes of the consolation final, the University of Toronto Varsity Blues scored a goal to cut UBC’s lead to 2–1. For a couple seconds, they could believe they had a chance of winning the consolation title. The T-Birds weren’t about to let that happen.