By Larry Read - TRU Athletics

WolfPack men’s volleyball sweeps Thunderbirds at UBC

Feb 7, 2016 | 8:28 AM

KAMLOOP —For the second year in a row, the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack men’s volleyball team is making a late run in hopes of a Canada West playoff spot. The WolfPack went into the University of British Columbia and took a pair of matches this weekend from the Thunderbirds.

On Saturday afternoon (Feb 6) at the War Memorial Gym, TRU won in five. The scores were 20-25,25-18,27-25,23-25, 20-18.

The sweep means the WolfPack are still in the hunt for a playoff spot as their record rises to 10-12 while the Thunderbirds sink to 12-8.

This match was similar to Friday’s where the teams batted hard in the first set, and the WolfPack falling victim to UBC.

In the third set of this match, UBC led before the WolfPack mounted a run to win it.

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TRU was led again by Brad Gunter (5th year, outside hitter, Courtenay, BC). Gunter had 33 kills in 54 chances with two service aces, 15 digs and five block assists.  He had 37.5 points. The Canada West’s all time kills and points leader hiked his record to 1,452 kills and 1,679.5 points.

Randy Grundman (3rd year, outside hitter, Winnipeg, MB) had 14 kills in 42 opportunities with three service aces, five digs and a solo block.

Graham Stoliker (5th year, setter, Surrey, BC) had 56 assists while Cole Keddie (2nd year, libero, Edmonton, AB) had 15 digs.

Said head coach Pat Hennelly: “ We played another great match. Graham was good and it was nice to sweep a good team like UBC. We have really put together a string of solid matches.”

UBC was led by Mat Guidi. He had 17 kills in 35 swings with 10 digs and three block assists. Irvan Brar added 16 kills in 46 chances for the T-Birds. He had two service aces, five digs and four block assists. Byron Keturakis had 25 assists while Jacob Smith contributed 12 digs for the Thunderbirds.

The WolfPack return home to close out their regular season next weekend (Feb 12-13). The opposition will be the Trinity Western University Spartans. Those matches will be played at the TRU Gym.   TRU has a bye the final weekend of the season (Feb 19-20).

SIDE OUTS: Gunter’s 33 kills puts him second on the all-time Canada West record for most in a single match. The record is 36 held by former Brandon Bobcat Paul Sanderson and former TRU WolfPack Kevin Tillie. Sanderson set the record on January 30, 2010 and equaled by Tillie on November 13, 2010