The final delivered the 1v2 showdown fans were hoping for
January 26, 2026 by Kiana Hu in Recap
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The inaugural tournament culminated in an epic showdown between the #1 UBC Thunderbirds and #2 Carleton Syzygy that featured all the makings of an instant classic: two vaunted teams, undeniable star power, and a rematch of a universe point national final, all set in the picturesque, windless scene of the Santa Ynez Mountains. Syzygy walked away with the first blow of the season, staving off a resurgent UBC team to clinch the title 12-10.
Pressure Builds Diamonds
At one point, the highly anticipated collision of Syzygy and the Thunderbirds looked like it might have been a bust: Carleton rolled their way to a 7-3 lead at half owing to the precocious efforts of rookies Chloe Hakimi, Helen Burruss, and Mia Fischer and the offensive heavy lifting of Naomi Fina. UBC struggled to connect on their handler sets and Carleton snapped at the fleeting chances and capitalized with a few precision throws from Chagall Gelfand.
As is often the case with legendary games, this one was a tale of two halves. The secondary UBC D-line, which had looked solid but not spectacular throughout the rest of the tournament, were called up to bat just when the Thunderbirds looked like they were going away quietly out of halftime. Playing without Mika Kurahashi, who was sidelined after an injury call from a saving defensive layout block earlier in the game, UBC placed their trust in their newer players: Liza Ng, Nina Tsai, Makenzi Harris, Abigail Grunenberg, and Emily Ma, who all seamlessly stepped into the all-or-nothing mentality and put the clamps on an otherwise unchecked Syzygy. Mandy Li was particularly instrumental in the second half comeback, scoring both of the first two breaks for UBC and stifling a Carleton offensive point with a poach block in the open lane.
The heroic effort from the UBC D-line culminated in a tie at 10-10, at which point Carleton decided to utilize the unguardable combination of Hakimi and Gelfand to get a quick hold before breaking to win the game. Despite the fiercely changing momentum, the definitive takeaway from this behemoth match-up was the incredible skill and quality at which these college teams were able to perform under the highest pressure. It’s a must watch if you haven’t already seen it.
Can Anyone Catch Up?
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