T-Birds make quick work of Bobcat women

Maddy Shackleton took a few extra moments to collect her thoughts after a thorough beatdown by the UBC Thunderbirds.

At their absolute best, the Brandon University Bobcats hung around with the No. 5-ranked team in the country.

At anything less, it was a mess.

UBC (5-2) swept the Canada West match 3-0 (25-15, 25-18, 25-20), dropping BU to 0-5 at the Healthy Living Centre on Friday.

“I think we tried our best that we could (Friday), but I think we can even do better (today),” Shackleton said after a deep sigh and a long pause.

“We gave it 100 per cent that we could, that we had in us. We will give it 100 per cent (today) and hopefully come out on top.

“It’s tough. They’re a great team. Honestly, just managing their passing so we can break that serving run early (is key).”

The loss may not have been the only hit to BU’s playoff chances so far this week. Head coach Kailan Robinson is hoping the team experienced addition by subtraction.

She removed setter Alex Roberge from the roster this week.

“It’s something that ultimately was a coach’s decision to not have her on the team anymore,” Robinson said. “That’s about all I’ll say on that.”

Roberge watched the men’s match with a few of the BU women and declined to comment on the decision.

The men nearly started on time, which rarely happens in Canada West.

But the Thunderbirds pulled ahead 5-1 early on a string of four straight Bobcat mistakes, as their service pressure was too strong for Brandon to handle.

Ella Ungemach picked up back-to-back aces to increase the lead to 9-4.

UBC made its big run a few points later as setter Issy Robertshaw served BU into trouble time and time again and fed three different attackers for kills on a six-point run to go up 17-6.

The visitors cruised to a 1-0 lead in the match despite making six hitting errors and missing four serves.

“We just need to do a better job of playing well from the beginning,” Robinson said. “Our first sets so far haven’t been great, so those glimpses we see in the second and third sets, we have to do that consistently.”

Brandon put up a better fight in the second set, pulling ahead 6-2 on back-to-back Shackleton aces.

Shackleton, who didn’t record a kill in the first set, picked up three to keep the second close.

UBC led 14-13, but broke it open with a six-point run with Shackleton stuck in the back row.

She earned her way back to the front with a thundering back-row attack, but the set was out of reach.

The T-Birds notched 14 kills and four aces to pull ahead 2-0.

They took a quick 4-1 lead in the third before the Bobcats dug deep and went on a run.

Brandon added a four-point string, including three straight middle kills by Nerissa Dyer and Alexa Parken to lead 10-9.

Backup setter Kaitlyn Couckuyt got Steph Miller rolling on the left side. The veteran attacker hammered a few balls down the line to keep the rest neck and neck.

Brandon led 20-19, but once again gave up a crucial run with Robertshaw serving.

The fifth-year setter kept the ball through both of Robinson’s timeouts and made a perfect dish to opposite Elizabeth Lee for the finishing touch.

Robertshaw finished with 35 assists as her team piled up 17 kills in the final frame.

Ungemach led the way with 12.

BU posted a solid 14-kill, four-error third set, but just shut down in crunch time. Alexa Parken posted seven kills and no errors on 11 attempts.

Couckuyt and fourth-year Grace Gallacher each posted 12 assists, despite the rookie playing fewer than half the points.

“I thought she was connecting well with our hitters. We seemed to be scoring, so I wanted to keep her in and see how it went,” Robinson said.

“They’re doing phenomenal,” Shackleton added of the two remaining setters. “We wouldn’t be able to get the kills we do without them. I think Kate has so much potential.”

The teams meet again today at 5 p.m.

QUICK HITS: In Edmonton, the BU women’s basketball team lost 62-50 to the MacEwan Griffins. Abbey Shand notched 14 points to lead the Bobcats (0-5). The Griffins (1-4) had four double-digit scorers as they picked up their first win of the season.

The men’s game ended after deadline.

» tfriesen@brandonsun.com