VANCOUVER - The No. 2 UBC Thunderbirds outlasted the Manitoba Bisons 3-2 in a five-set marathon win (25-17, 25-11, 25-17, 25-23, 15-13) in women's volleyball at the War Memorial Gym on Saturday, Jan. 6 night as the hosts completed the sweep of the two-game weekend series. The 'Birds improving to 12-2 while remaining a perfect 8-0 on home court while the Bisons' record dropped to 5-9.

The fifth set was very entertaining and saw T-Birds second-year middle Gabrielle Attieh step up and make her presence felt. With the 'Birds trailing 9-8 it was Attieh's emphatic kill that made it 9-9 to conclude a very athletic rally from both sides. Fast forward to the final moments at 13-13 and it was Attieh stepping up once again with back-to-back big plays. First, she won a joust at the net to put UBC ahead 14-13, followed by the match-clinching block, with help from Alessandra Gentile, to give the Thunderbirds a 15-13 fifth-set victory.

Attieh finished with eight kills and four block assists, with the last securing the 'Birds victory.

The Bisons were sharp in the opening set jumping out to leads of 13-9, and 20-11, forcing Thunderbirds head coach Doug Reimer to call separate timeouts at both score lines. The visitors would continue to execute however in extending their lead to 24-16 on Tori Studler's powerful kill. The Bisons would secure the 25-17 first-set victory on the strength of Kearly Abbott contributing four kills, and Allison Alcock and Studler each recording three. Meanwhile, leading the way for the T-Birds were Kiera Van Ryk and Ciara Hanly, who had three kills each.

The home side were much sharper in the second set reversing the script from the opening set in accumulating leads of 5-2 and 13-6 causing longtime Bisons head coach Ken Bentley to call timeouts at each setback. The T-Birds would continue to dominate with Van Ryk's fifth kill of the night extending the lead to 21-9 before teammate Victoria Behie got into the action with her first kill, determining set point and a 25-11 second set victory to even things at 1-1.

UBC would carry their momentum forward to the third set in jumping out to an 8-4 lead forcing another Bisons timeout. Manitoba's Josie Abbott would respond with her lone block assist of the night that would see the Bisons trail 21-14. The 'Birds would remain undeterred, however, and for a second straight set it would be Behie with the final dagger, her third kill on the evening securing the 25-17 third set victory.

The fourth set would prove to be an entertaining tug-of-war as UBC jumped out to a 7-3 lead only to see the Bisons claw back and take a 10-8 lead on the strength of Sydney Booker's three straight service aces. It would continue to be back-and-forth leading to a Jocelyn Koswin ace that gave Manitoba a 23-19 advantage and eventually a 25-23 fourth set win to force a fifth and deciding set.

First-year left side Van Ryk led the T-Birds with 16 kills and 17 digs while second-year setter Olivia Furlan finished with 13 kills and 21 digs. 

On the other side, it was a family duo leading the way as first-year right side Kearley Abbott leading the way with 15 kills and 14 digs, followed by second-year left side Josie Abbott who chipped in with six kills and 15 digs. Alcock was a force for Manitoba at the net, earning eight block assists. The team had 26 in all, earning 13 points.

Next week, the T-Birds hit the road to meet the Winnipeg Wesmen at the Duckworth Centre while the Bisons get set to host the Trinity Western Spartans on Jan. 12-13 weekend.