By Paul Cartledge

EDMONTON – Not the event they wanted to repeat, but for the first time at home in over four years, the No.4 University of Alberta Pandas lost in straight sets (25-22, 25-18, 25-18) to the visitors, the No.1 UBC Thunderbirds claiming victory this time, Friday night at Saville Community Sports Centre.

Team kill leader Kory White led the home team with 11 kills in the first shutout at home since November 2, 2013 against the Brandon Bobcats. Sophomore middle Vanessa Jarman added seven kills while senior setter Eryn Orysiuk recorded 27 assists.

Coming into the weekend with the third-best kill average in the conference, rookie left side Kiera Van Ryk notched a game-high 16 kills while second-year middle Gabrielle Attieh netted eight kills for the road team, senior setter Alessandra Gentile picking up 30 assists.

The home team started off well, building a quick 5-2 run in the opening set but Van Ryk started taking center stage, the native of Surrey, B.C. recording six of the next seven kills for the Thunderbirds.
The Pandas managed to keep pace, the two squads tying eight times throughout the set, but Van Ryk earned her ninth kill of the set to give UBC a chance to close things out, fourth-year middle Danae Shepherd doing just that by getting her attack through the block and finding Alberta floor for the 1-0 set lead.

The Pandas responded by starting the second set with a 6-2 run, only to have the top team in the national rankings respond with a 7-2 run to claim a 9-8 score. Alberta fought back to tie the game once more, but UBC responded with a 6-2 run to pull back ahead by three.

After going point-for-point, the Thunderbird offence found another gear, netting a 7-2 run full of aces or direct kills to close out the middle frame, fourth-year outside hitter Victoria Behie scoring the final point as a struggling Panda defence couldn't recover from their initial dig.

Brimming with confidence, UBC opened the final set with a 7-2 run, using that lead to go back-and-forth on the scoreboard with the home team, but never giving up their lead.

Though Alberta improved on their attack percentage from the middle set, they were unable to overcome the third-set deficit, Attieh finalizing the Thunderbird win with a kill off the block.

Game two of the weekend series between the now 4-3 Pandas and 6-1 T-birds starts at 6:30 p.m. MT on Saturday.