For the second straight night, the UBC women’s volleyball team proved that the Thunderbirds remain one of the most difficult teams to beat in Canada West. Coming off a dominant straight-sets win against the University of Calgary Dinos on Friday, Jan. 23, UBC followed it up with another 3–0 victory against them on Saturday afternoon on the road in Calgary , surpassing Thompson Rivers for second place in conference. With the season nearing its end, UBC sits only five points behind the Alberta Golden Bears.
But the action on the court tells a story of a match that was far tighter than a sweep might suggest. While UBC controlled the moments that mattered most — not allowing the Dinos to be on the lead for too long — Calgary pushed the Thunderbirds in every set, refusing to let the match slip away easily. In the end, UBC’s composure, depth and late-set execution made the difference, completing a weekend sweep and keeping the ‘Birds firmly entrenched near the top of the Canada West standings with a chance of a third national championship in the past four years.
Entering the match, UBC already sat second in the conference because of their win the night before, looking to keep momentum with another road win. Overall, the T-Birds have one of the strongest home court advantages in the league, and have not lost at War Memorial all season. But their away form — three losses on the road — made consistency a lingering question. After answering that question emphatically on Friday, they’d have to prove they could do it again on Saturday.
Calgary arrived to the court on Saturday in eighth place — riding a four-game losing streak, tumbling to a 6–9 record — a skid which could easily interfere with anyone psychologically. Even in a conference that sees the top 10 out of 14 teams make the playoffs, Calgary entered this game only one point ahead of MacEwan for the tenth and final playoff spot. With their season on the line and little to lose, they came out playing freely — and it showed.
UBC opened the scoring, but the first set quickly settled into a tense, physical back-and-forth. Calgary kept rallies alive with strong blocking and well-timed touches at the net, while UBC found early points largely through Calgary service errors. The Dinos sent several serves long in the opening stretch, allowing the Thunderbirds to stay close even when their offence stalled.
As the set progressed, Calgary began to find rhythm. Their blocking, particularly in the middle, caused problems for UBC early, and by the midpoint of the set, the Dinos held a narrow 12–9 lead. Then, UBC’s Kylee Glanville — possibly the best player of the match — emerged as a stabilizing force, delivering multiple clean kills to keep the ‘Birds within striking distance.
Momentum swung repeatedly. Calgary’s libero Evvia Belireau made a spectacular effort chasing a ball into the crowd, knocking over equipment in the process. UBC answered with defensive brilliance of their own. A long rally while down 16–14 — featuring standout efforts from UBC's Jocelyn Lenarcic and libero Daphne Demiryol — brought the T-Birds back in it, and UBC would tie the set on the next point.
From there, neither team could create separation. The score reached 21–21, then 23–23, with both sides showing visible tension. Glanville finally broke the deadlock with a thunderous kill to put UBC ahead 26–25. Moments later, a Calgary attack error sealed the set, giving UBC a hard-earned 27–25 win.
The second set followed a similar script. Calgary struck first and looked confident early, jumping out to a 5–2 lead as their offence became more aggressive. Their hitters began finding seams in UBC’s block, and for a brief stretch, the Dinos looked poised to even the match.
That momentum didn’t last.
‘Birds outside hitter Lucy Borowski stepped to the service line and shifted the tone. Serving eight times in a row, Borowski applied relentless pressure, scoring three service aces, forcing Calgary out of system and allowing UBC to rattle off points quickly. Suddenly, the Thunderbirds were back in front, leading 10–5.
From there, the set turned into a showcase of contrasts. When rallies were quick, UBC often came out on top, using decisive kills from Borowski and Glanville to finish points early. When rallies extended, Calgary found more success relying on hustle and patience to outlast the ‘Birds.
Despite that, UBC maintained a slim edge. Glanville delivered key blocks at pivotal moments, including one that put UBC ahead 18–16. Still, Calgary refused to fade. A pair of strong kills brought the Dinos within a two-point lead, cutting the score to 23–21 and forcing UBC to stay sharp.
And they did. After a long rally that ended in another Calgary attack error, UBC closed the set in the same way they closed the first, winning 25–23 and once again benefiting from their opponent’s inability to finish points under pressure at the end of sets.
After two tightly contested sets, the third initially looked like it might finally break open. UBC came out focused and aggressive, racing to a 5–1 lead behind Borowski’s powerful attacks and a perfectly placed kill from Glanville that left Calgary’s defenders frozen. At 8–2, it appeared the Thunderbirds were ready to end the match quickly. Calgary, however, had other ideas.
The Dinos capitalized on a brief miscommunication between Glanville and Elizabeth Lee, to secure a point off a long rally — then began chipping away at the lead. What had been a six-point cushion shrank rapidly and by the time Calgary pulled within a point at 8–7, the pressure was back on UBC.
Glanville responded emphatically. Two consecutive kills — one so hard it nearly struck a Calgary player in the face — pushed UBC ahead again. Still, Calgary continued to push, tying the set at 16–16 and even taking a brief 19–18 lead, their first advantage of the set.
Once again, UBC leaned on its outside hitters. Glanville answered immediately with another kill to tie it, and Lenarcic followed with a decisive attack that put the ‘Birds back in control at 21–19. When the match tightened to 21–21, Borowski delivered — as she so often does — unleashing an unstoppable kill to swing momentum decisively in UBC’s favour. From there, the outcome felt inevitable. UBC closed out the set 25–21, completing the sweep and capping off an impressive weekend.
The sweep over Calgary completed a perfect stand for the Thunderbirds, who did not drop a set across the weekend — gaining a critical six points in the standings. More importantly, it reinforced a growing trend: UBC is at its best when playing with confidence and patience, which is especially important when not playing at home.
While Calgary showed fight and flashes of quality — often winning extended rallies and pushing UBC deep into sets — they struggled to sustain momentum. Time and time again, the Dinos clawed back deficits only to give points away through errors at critical moments.
For UBC, the opposite was true. In tight situations, they trusted their systems and their stars. Borowski’s ability to deliver in high-pressure moments, combined with Glanville’s relentless energy and Lenarcic’s versatility, gave the Thunderbirds answers whenever Calgary threatened.
The win keeps UBC second in Canada West, and each win is crucial as the playoff race tightens. With their home dominance intact and momentum building, the Thunderbirds are peaking at the right time on the road to the playoffs.
If this weekend was any indication, beating the T-Birds will require near-perfect volleyball — and even that might not be enough.
