Stu Walters, UBC Thunderbirds

VANCOUVER - Fourth-year left side Nikala Majewski put on a dominant performance with a game high 22 kills while adding 11 digs to lead The Brandon Bobcats to an upset victory over the number one ranked UBC Thunderbirds 3-1 (25-23, 25-23, 17-25, 25-23) on Saturday night to split the weekend series at War Memorial Gym. The Bobcats improved to 8-10 on the season while the T-Birds now sit at 15-3 on the campaign.

The fourth and final set was an entertaining nail biter with Majewski saving her best for last in a dominating evening racking up eight kills in the frame and helping Brandon to a 16-12 lead at the technical timeout. The Thunderbirds would then battle back and take a 20-18 lead on the strength of back to back Anna Price kills followed up by a Ciara Hanly kill. The teams would trade points to 24-23 where the Bobcats had a second chance at match point that they didn't let slip by. In fitting fashion, it was Majewski that delivered the final dagger of the night with her 22nd kill to win the contest giving Brandon a 25-23 fourth set win and 3-1 victory.

Bobcats head coach Kevin Neufeld was pleased with his squad's battle level.

"We hung in there and played extremely well, our first contact was good for us we served the ball tough. They're a supremely well coached team, a very good team and we feel very fortunate to pick up the win for sure."

Neufeld continued with praise for his standout player Nikala Majewski.

"She played way better tonight, she's been pretty sick the last week or so but she's a gamer and loves when the spotlight is on in tough environements, she played very well."

The Bobcats got out to a demonstrative start on the strength of Michelle Egger's first of two service aces in the first set while Majewski and Ravyn Wiebe added five kills each to set the tone for the visitors. Majewski would record back to back emphatic kills to give the Bobcats a lead of 15-12 ahead of UBC head coach Doug Reimer calling his second timeout of the opening set when trailing 19-14. The 'Birds would claw back within two points thanks in large part to first-year left side Kiera Van Ryk's seven kills in the opener causing Brandon coach Kevin Neufeld to call his first timeout while in front 23-21. The break would settle his squad who went on to secure the 25-23 first set win.

The second set proved much closer as it was back and forth with tie scores of 19-19 and 22-22 leading up to one of the key momentum changing points of the night that saw the Thunderbirds Olivia Furlan attack stuffed at the net by Brandon's Michelle Egger giving the visitors a 23-22 lead they wouldn't look back from en route to a 25-23 second set victory. Once again for the Bobcats it was Majewski leading the way with 5 kills in the frame while Mary Thomson added six digs. For the T-Birds it was Van Ryk and Anna Price with four kills each and Gabrielle Attieh chipping in with three kills. Alessandra Gentile registered six digs in the set while Furlan chipped in with four digs.

The Thunderbirds would respond in the third set jumping out to a 4-1 lead ahead of another momentum changing point that saw Gentile win a key joust for a 7-4 advantage. Trailing 10-4 the Bobcats took a timeout but not long after it was more T-Bird defence turning the tide with Furlan stepping up for a big block to make it 15-9. Furlan would follow that up with an ace to make it 19-11 en route to the hosts taking the third set 25-17 to stay alive. Van Ryk, Attieh and Anna Price all registered two kills each in the set while Majewski added four more kills to her total.

Van Ryk and Price had a team high 13 kills for the 'Birds, while Van Ryk added 12 digs. Gabrielle Attieh registered eight kills and five digs while Olivia Furlan amassed a game high 17 digs in the loss. Egger was second in Bobcats scoring with 12 kills and 11 digs to go along with two service aces while Rayvn Wiebe chipped in with nine kills and seven digs.

Next weekend the Thunderbirds hit the road to meet the Regina Cougars while the Bobcats host the MacEwan Griffins in Brandon.

PHOTO: Rich Lam / UBC Thunderbirds