The University of Manitoba women’s volleyball team had blazing start to its weekend series against the University of British Columbia–Okanagan (UBCO) Heat.
The herd had its eyes on the prize and the ball. Every kill and assist meshed together like a well-oiled machine — so much so that anyone could step up to the court and play a phenomenal game.
The first set of Friday’s match was close, the Bisons winning 25-23 with a total amount of 17 kills compared to UBCO’s 15.
UBCO began to struggle as the game progressed, and the herd was able to handily take the second set 25-11.
The Heat got a little closer in the third set, but the U of M pulled off the sweep, winning 25-17.
Katreena Bentley had a whopping 35 assists in Friday night’s game and second-year phenom Raya Surinx had 14 kills.
Another instrumental player in Friday’s match was Andi Almonte, who racked up eight kills, two aces and six digs while hitting .500.
Saturday’s game saw the second sweep in a row for the Bisons, the herd holding the Heat to no more than 15 points in each set of the three-set match.
The Bisons took the first set 25-10, achieving 18 kills. The herd took the second set 25-15, capping off the weekend sweep with a dominating 25-8 third-set win.
Surinx again added on to her impressive total number of kills this season. She recorded a three-set, career-high 21 kills, and after Saturday’s game holds a U Sports-leading 195 overall kills.
Bentley also leads nationally with assists per set at 10.61.
The herd rides into the holiday break with an overall record of 10-2.
The men’s team fared just as well against UBCO over the weekend.
The herd’s first game was a five-set grinder. The Bisons won the first set 25-18, but UBCO took the second set 25-23.
The U of M fell behind in the third set, leaving room for UBCO to sneak in and claim it 31-29.
The fourth set was evenly matched for some time, but the Bisons collected 15 kills to UBCO’s 13 and pulled off the win 25-18.
The herd capped off the deadlock in the fifth set, going toe-to-toe with the Heat to win the hard-fought set 15-11.
Leading the charge in game one’s win was Eric Ogaranko, hitting a career high 19 kills. Harrison Ens also recorded a career high with eight assisted blocks. Meanwhile, Sammy Ludwig made a whopping 51 assists and Josh Jehle remained the Bisons’ dig king with 14.
Saturday’s game started off with the U of M narrowly closing the first set 25-21 over the Heat.
The herd won the second set easily 25-14 before UBCO hit back in the third, recording 18 kills to Manitoba’s 10 and winning 26-24.
But the herd took over in the fourth, winning the set 25-18 and collecting the series sweep.
Ben Carleton was a huge help in Saturday’s game, leading in kills with 15 and achieving a career-high six aces.
With the series sweep, the men’s team improved to 8-4 on the season.
After the winter break, the volleyball teams will start the new year in Edmonton hosted by the MacEwan University Griffins Jan. 5 and 6.
