The University of British Columbia Thunderbirds won their fifth-straight CIS women's volleyball title Sunday, defeating the top-seeded University of Alberta Pandas in five sets 3-2 (25-21, 15-25, 19-25, 25-20, 15-12).
The defending champions came into the eight-team tournament at McMaster University as the second seed after losing the Canada West title to the Pandas in another five-set thriller last week. The win gives the Thunderbirds a record nine championship banners.
UBC left side Lisa Barclay was named the tournament and championship game MVP. Over the course of the weekend, the 19-year-old from Brandon, Man., recorded 22 kills and 10 aces. Barclay felt the loss to Alberta last week helped her team in the end.
UBC was down 16-20 in the first, but went on a 9-1 run to take the set. But momentum switched in the second and third sets, with Alberta dominating play and taking quick leads before UBC rebounded in the fourth and fifth to take the championship.
"I think Alberta was playing extremely well," said UBC head coach Doug Reimer. "They were out-executing us without question for more than half the match. But we found a way. I look at the first set as a little bit symbolic of the rest: not playing great but just being able to hang in there and turn things around and I couldn't be prouder of this group. A lot of teams, when they're getting it handed to them to a degree and it's not what they're expecting to happen, kind of go away. And we never did."
Silver was a bittersweet accomplishment for Alberta's Erin Walsh, who led both teams with 21 digs in the championship game. The 22-year-old played in her final game for the Pandas. And she wasn't happy with the end of her university career.
"It's an accomplishment to get where we are, but it's definitely not a feeling that I'm happy about," said the Edmonton native. "I don't even think I'd put the silver medal up in my room. Our goal was to win gold. That's what we came here to do. Yes, I have an awesome team and they're going to be phenomenal next year and I can't wait for them to take the reins over from UBC but the silver isn't what we came here to do."
Alberta last won the title in 2007 — year before Walsh entered university.
McGill won the bronze medal by defeating Montreal 3-1 (25-22, 13-25, 25-23, 25-15). Trinity Western took the consolation final over Saint Mary's 3-1 (25-22, 23-25, 25-21, 25-20).