UBC headed to gold medal game after beating Manitoba
Team Stats
| Game Statistics | Manitoba | UBC |
|---|---|---|
| Hitting % | .170 | .283 |
| Blocks | 7.0 | 5.0 |
| Digs | 60 | 68 |
| Aces | 4 | 5 |
Dawson Pratt recorded 14 kills and four service aces to lead the UBC Thunderbirds to a 3-1 semifinal victory (15-25, 25-10, 25-22, 25-16) over the Manitoba Bisons on Saturday at the 2026 BioSteel U SPORTS Men’s Volleyball Championship at the Toldo Lancer Centre.
With the win, UBC advances to Sunday’s national championship match at 6 p.m., while Manitoba will play for bronze earlier in the day at 3 p.m.
Manitoba opened the match strongly, taking the first set 25-15 with an aggressive serving run and steady offensive production. Owen Weekes and Eric Ogaranko helped pace the early attack for the Bisons, while Karil Dadash Adeh — Manitoba’s player of the game — contributed on both sides of the net with nine kills, 13 digs and four block assists.
UBC responded emphatically in the second set, limiting errors and finding rhythm offensively to even the match. The Thunderbirds’ balanced attack and improved efficiency turned the tide, as they dominated the set 25-10 to shift momentum firmly in their favour.
The third set proved to be the most competitive of the match, with the teams exchanging points late before UBC pulled away down the stretch. Pratt, named the Thunderbirds’ player of the game, delivered several key points in the closing stages while setter Mason Greves orchestrated the offence with 42 assists.
UBC carried that momentum into the fourth set, using a strong service run from Pratt to build an early lead. The Thunderbirds maintained control the rest of the way, closing out the match 25-16 to secure their place in the gold-medal game.
Reeve Gingera added 14 kills for UBC, while Ki Robinson-Dunning chipped in six kills on an efficient .500 hitting percentage. UBC finished the match hitting .283 as a team compared to Manitoba’s .170.
The Thunderbirds (24-2, 19-1 CW) will face the winner of the second semifinal in Sunday’s gold-medal match at 6 p.m., while Manitoba (18-9, 14-6 CW) will compete for bronze at 3 p.m.