SASKATOON, Sask. - The Saskatchewan Huskies wrapped up Saturday's (Jan. 10) volleyball doubleheader with a competitive but challenging matchup against the top-ranked UBC Thunderbirds, falling 3-0 at the PAC.

Despite the result, Saskatchewan showed stretches of strong play across all three sets, staying within striking distance against one of the conference's top teams before UBC pulled away late in each frame. 

The Huskies opened the night with an efficient first set, hitting .321 and matching UBC point-for-point through the early stages. Saskatchewan again kept things tight in the second, cutting into a late deficit before UBC closed out the set, leaving little separation between the teams through two competitive frames. 

Offensively, Emmett Graham led Saskatchewan with 10 kills, while Mathieu Methot added eight kills on .462 hitting, providing a steady presence at the net. Jacob Baird also contributed with two aces and strong blocking, while setter Noah Opseth guided the Huskies offense with 28 assists. 

UBC found its rhythm in the third set, limiting Saskatchewan's attack while maintaining steady offensive pressure to close out the match. The Thunderbirds finished with 43 kills on .333 hitting, led by Reeve Gingera's 14 kills and Dawson Pratt's 13.

Saskatchewan continued to compete until the final point, showing resilience against one of Canada West's most consistent teams. 

The Huskies will now turn their focus to next weekend's (Jan. 16-17) road trip, when they travel to Winnipeg to take on the Manitoba Bisons.