CALGARY – Despite their injury trouble, despite losing a winnable match 24 hours earlier, and despite being blown out 25-11 in the opening set, the Calgary Dinos somehow found a way to get back in the match and used a thrilling 16-14 fifth-set victory to topple the top-ranked UBC Thunderbirds 3-2 Saturday night in the Jack Simpson Gym (11-25, 25-22, 20-25, 25-23, 16-14).

BOX SCORE

The win advances the Dinos to 6-4 on the season, while UBC suffered just its third loss on the year and falls to 9-3.

“We could have a million excuses, whether it's the multitude of injuries, or we're playing UBC, or we're tired…but at the end none of them were acceptable and we weren't going to make any,” said a jubilant Dinos head coach Jesse Knight following the win. “Tonight we went for it offensively after the first set, and we made some adjustments defensively to get a hand on balls and just kept fighting.”

Calgary played without CIS all-rookie teamer Maura Hayes, highly-touted freshman middle Courtney Dawson, and former national teamer Laura Wilson - who suffered a severe left knee injury in Friday's match.

The T-Birds took control early in the opening set and led 8-5 after a Rayel Quiring kill took the match to its first technical timeout. UBC continued to carry the play and used a series of runs to easily take the first frame.

Calgary responded with a more spirited effort in the second and led 14-10 before UBC slowly chipped away at the deficit. The 'Birds eventually tied the set at 21-21, however, a 4-1 run Dino run that included three kills gave the hosts life.

The third set was back and forth early with UBC leading 8-7 at the first technical timeout. The 'Birds promptly took control of the frame thanks to a 6-0 run and Calgary never closed the deficit to less than three the rest of the set.

With UBC leading 12-10 in the fifth and deciding set, the Dinos went on a 4-1 run that was capped off by a pair of Sarah Moncks kills taking the Dinos to match point point. Jessica von Schilling earned a kill to tie the match but a UBC error followed by a kill from Lindsey Doland sealed the upset.

The T-Birds had a chance to end the match in the fourth set as well. Calgary led for most of the frame before a 5-0 run from the 'Birds put the visitors in front 22-20. UBC couldn't close out the set,  however, as the Dinos responded with a 5-1 run to setup the do or die fifth.

Kyla Richey and Shanice Marcelle paced the T-Bird attack with 15 and 11 kills apiece. Doland and Lindsay Russell led the Dinos with 13 kills apiece with Moncks chipping in 10.

“I'm ecstatic,” Knight summed up. “This is big for our program because we're young and because of some of the turmoil we've gone through, but it proves that we can still do it. UBC is the best team in the country, and we have a shot at them. That's all you want.”

The road ahead remains difficult for the Dinos as they head west to face Trinity Western next weekend, while UBC heads home to host the Brandon Bobcats.

-UC-