Langley, B.C. — Host program Trinity Western continued its push toward a national crown in Langley on Friday night, dispatching long-time rival UBC while Alberta handled Montréal in another quarterfinal clash at the U SPORTS women’s volleyball championship.
The victories advance the Spartans and Pandas into Saturday’s semifinal round, setting up a meeting between the Canada West contenders after each navigated their opening round matchups. Trinity Western relied on late-rally execution as a lower seed to move past UBC, while Alberta regrouped to top-of-the-conference form against Montréal on its way to the final four.
Two W's in Eight Days
Just a week after their Canada West semifinal required five sets to decide a winner, it looked like the two teams would go the distance again on Friday evening.
But despite the margins being just as razor thin, the Spartans found the edge defeating the Thunderbirds 3-0 (33-31, 26-24, 25-22).
UBC generated more offence throughout the night, even pushing Trinity Western to the brink before the Spartans closed the decisive points late. But the Spartans capitalized when rallies stretched past regulation, committing just 13 attack errors while the Thunderbirds finished with 20.
Combined with the Spartans out-blocking the T-birds 9-4, there was plenty for the home crowd to be fired up about.
How it happened
Setting the tone for the entire match, UBC traded points with Trinity well into extra rallies in the opening frame as the score climbed past 30. Lucy Borowski and Kylee Glanville helped the T-birds remain level, but Trinity forged ahead 33-31 to claim the marathon set.
The second was nearly identical. Once again tied at 24-24, Trinity responded under adversity. Two late points secured a 26-24 victory and gave the Spartans a two-set advantage.
Staying within reach throughout the final frame, UBC tied the set at 21-21 as Borowski, Jocelyn Lenarcic and Glanville continued to generate offence from the outside. But once again, Trinity found a small run at the right time, finishing the match with a composed push that sealed the set 25-22.
Sienna Driedger led the Spartans’ attack with 15 kills while hitting .609. Her ability to terminate extended rallies helped Trinity regain control when sets tightened late. Tayana Dmitruk tallied 28 assists and also contributed 11 digs, helping the Spartans distribute their attack across multiple options.
Kaylee Plouffe added eight kills and provided pressure from the service line with three service aces for the Spartans, while middle blockers Isabella Stothart and London Krahn each added six kills and combined for several key blocks that slowed UBC’s attack.
UBC, meanwhile, produced strong enough results to remain within striking distance, but struggled to convert enough of its opportunities when sets reached their closing stages.
Borowski led all players with 17 kills while adding 15 digs in a strong all-around effort. Lenarcic contributed eight kills while hitting .533, and Glanville added 10 kills and nine digs as the T-birds repeatedly pressured the Spartan defence. Setter Issy Robertshaw finished with 43 assists and two service aces.
With the result, the most decorated program in tournament history, UBC, shifts to the consolation bracket while the Spartans continue their chase for a third national championship on home turf.
Momentum shifts West
One year after watching Montréal end its national championship run, Alberta made sure the script flipped Friday afternoon.
The top-seeded Pandas recovered from a second-set slip and controlled the final two frames to defeat the No. 8 Montréal Carabins 3-1 (25-20, 23-25, 25-19, 25-12) at the Langley Events Centre.
The RSEQ finalist has recent precedent of stifling a higher seed. The Carabins swept Alberta 3-0 in the semifinal before advancing to the gold-medal match. Friday’s quarterfinal offered Alberta an opportunity to respond on the same stage — and after a brief wobble, the Pandas delivered.
How it happened
The opening set followed the rhythm Alberta has established all season. A serving run from Allie Moore helped create breathing room midway through the set to gradually separate, and Alberta closed it out 25-20 after Montréal struggled to consistently score through the Pandas’ front line of disciplined blocking.
Montréal answered with its strongest stretch of the match in the second. The Carabins attacked aggressively from the wings, with Sephora Menye Obele finding success against the block and Julia Lanthier providing secondary scoring. A late Panda push highlighted by kills from Milica Djordjevic and Eva Genier held off Alberta’s comeback attempt and level the match 25-23.
That momentum carried briefly into the third before Alberta’s offence recalibrated.
Abby Guezen began to assert herself in transition, while Moore and Laila Johnston added pressure from the pins as the Pandas steadily built separation. Alberta’s block also began to tighten, forcing Montréal into more difficult swings. The Pandas closed the set 25-19 to move ahead two sets to one.
A series of early attacking errors from Montréal quickly tilted the match decisively in Alberta’s favour early in the fourth set. The Pandas capitalized on efficient side-out play and continued applying pressure at the net. By the midpoint of the set the margin had grown into double digits, a cushion they would hold comfortably.
After a clinical 25-12 deciding set, the Carabins could not pull off another upset for the ages.
Guezen led Alberta with a match-high 18 kills while also picking up 16 digs. Moore added 10 kills and six total blocks, while Johnston finished with 10 kills and 13 digs. Setter Justine Kolody piled up 37 assists as the Pandas hit .298 as a team.
Montréal was paced by Menye Obele’s 14 kills. Lanthier added eight on an efficient .400 hitting percentage, while Djordjevic contributed nine kills and five block assists in defeat. Naomi Babii distributed 32 assists and collected 11 digs for the Carabins.
Since dominating the national tournament in the late 90s with six titles in 10 years, the Pandas are yet to hoist a banner since 2006–07. They meet Trinity Western in Saturday evening’s semifinal, while Montréal moves to the consolation bracket to face UBC.