This weekend, the University of Manitoba volleyball teams were in Brandon to take on the Bobcats. The men won handily, not dropping a single set all weekend to bring their current win streak to 16. The women lost 3-1 on Friday and 3-0 on Saturday; they have now lost six in a row.
Men
The first-ranked Bisons were riding high coming into this weekend, and they kept the momentum going on Friday when they crushed the eighth-ranked Bobcats in three straight sets, perhaps the toughest coming in the third when they won 26-24. Devren Dear led the way for the Bisons with 15 kills, as well as nine digs. The Bisons had a team hitting percentage of .258, compared to the .136 of the Bobcats.
It was more of the same on Saturday, as the Bisons dismantled their provincial rivals in three straight sets again. Adam DeJonckheere led the way for Manitoba with 12 kills, he has now cracked the top 15 in career conference points with 1179.
Manitoba has clinched a playoff spot with their pair of wins this weekend, and because Trinity Western lost a match to Alberta this weekend, the Bisons move into top spot in the Canada West. The Bisons have only lost 14 sets all season, and won 51 – a conference best.
Women
The Bison women were looking to snap a four-game losing skid heading into this weekend but were unable to do it. They won the the first set on Friday, but then lost every single one after that. They fell 3-1 on Friday, even though they dominated the serving with six aces compared to Brandon’s three.
On Saturday, the Bisons were swept out of Brandon after they fell 3-0. They only scored 32 points and were out-served, out-hit, and simply outplayed. The Bobcats only committed four errors all game, whilst the Bisons committed an astonishing 26. They had a negative hitting percentage in two of the three sets played.
A weekend to forget for Manitoba, as they are now 1-7 in the calendar year. The Bisons are tied for tenth in the Canada West with 12 points, two points out of a playoff spot.
The Bisons host the Thompson Rivers Wolfpack on Feb. 3-4 at the Investors Group Athletic Centre.
