March 13, 2026
Minier leads Sherbrooke past Thompson Rivers in five-set thriller at U SPORTS quarterfinal
#7 Thompson Rivers
0-1,15-5
2
#2 Sherbrooke
1-0,20-1
3
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
20 | 25 | 23 | 29 | 13 | 2 |
|
|
25 | 19 | 25 | 27 | 15 | 3 |
Team Stats
Game Leaders
#7 Thompson Rivers
K:
Rida Erlalelitepe
- 20
B:
Maria Dancheva
- 6
D:
Olivia Andulajevic
- 24
SA:
Maria Dancheva
- 2
Team Stats
| Game Statistics | #7 Thompson Rivers | #2 Sherbrooke |
|---|---|---|
| Hitting % | .145 | .179 |
| Blocks | 8.0 | 11.0 |
| Digs | 84 | 79 |
| Aces | 4 | 3 |
Gabrielle Minier delivered 14 kills and helped anchor a balanced Sherbrooke attack as the Vert & Or edged the Thompson Rivers WolfPack 3-2 (25-20, 19-25, 25-23, 27-29, 15-13) in the opening quarterfinal of the 2026 U SPORTS Women’s Volleyball Championship on Friday at the Langley Events Centre.
Minier, named Sherbrooke’s player of the game, was efficient throughout the five-set battle, hitting .379 while adding a service ace and two block assists. The victory lifts the Vert & Or to 25-2 overall this season (20-1 RSEQ) and sends them into Saturday’s national semifinal at 6 p.m. Pacific Time.
Sherbrooke relied on a balanced offensive effort in the tightly contested match. Béatrice Dubreuil led all Vert & Or players with 18 kills and 21 points, while Britanie Maranda chipped in 10 kills and Jael-Esther Telfort added 11. Setter Elle-Marie Fillion orchestrated the offence with 44 assists.
The Vert & Or also made their presence felt at the net, finishing with 11 team blocks. Florence Stevanovic contributed a match-high nine block assists, helping Sherbrooke limit Thompson Rivers during key stretches of the match.
Thompson Rivers pushed Sherbrooke to the limit behind player of the game Rida Erlalelitepe, who posted a game-high 20 kills while adding 18 digs in a strong two-way performance. Maria Dancheva was also a major factor for the WolfPack, finishing with 14 kills on an efficient .458 hitting percentage and six blocks.
After Sherbrooke took the opening set, the teams traded momentum throughout the afternoon. Thompson Rivers responded with a strong second set before Sherbrooke narrowly claimed the third. The WolfPack forced a deciding fifth set by surviving a marathon fourth set, 29-27.
In the decisive frame, Sherbrooke regained control late, holding off a final Thompson Rivers push to secure the two-point victory in front of 1,820 fans.
With the loss, Thompson Rivers falls to 16-10 (14-6) and will play in a consolation match on Saturday at noon Pacific Time. Sherbrooke advances to the national semifinal as it continues its quest for a championship.
MIKASA PLAYERS OF THE GAME:
-
Thompson Rivers: Rida Erlalelitepe
-
Sherbrooke: Gabrielle Minier