The Bisons men’s volleyball team defeated the Brandon Bobcats 3-0 at the Investors Group Athletic Centre with set scores of 26-24, 27-25 and 25-23 on Nov. 15.

The Bisons took the first set 26-24, with Karil Dadash Adeh leading the charge offensively for Bisons. Despite a strong performance from Liam Pauls and the Brandon Bobcats’ higher attack percentage of .381, the Bisons overall consistency gave them an edge. The Bisons offence, led by Dadash Adeh, Spencer Grahame and Jordon Heppner helped them defeat the Brandon Bobcats.

The Bisons continued their momentum in the second set, winning 27-25. The Bisons produced 19 kills in this set, with Dadash Adeh once again contributing a significant amount of points. As Dadash Adeh dominated, the match commentator, Ben Little, could not help but emphasize his sheer power on the court by saying, “Adeh, too hot to handle!”

Alex Witt’s playmaking was crucial, as he contributed assists, helping set up the offence for the Bisons. On the Bobcats’ side, Chris Bryant and Pauls combined for a lot of kills, but the Bobcats struggled with errors, which allowed the Bisons to maintain control and close out the set.

The Bisons closed out the match with a 25-23 victory in the third set. Despite a strong all-around performance from Philipp Lauter, who contributed kills and blocks for the Bobcats, the Bisons’ defence, led by Jonah Dueck and Witt, kept the Bobcats at bay. The Bisons capitalized on the Bobcats’ errors and maintained their offensive consistency, securing the sweep.

In a tightly contested volleyball match, the Bobcats and the Bisons displayed fluctuating performances across all three sets. The Bobcats started strong with a hitting percentage of .381 in the first set, maintained consistency in the second set with a .323 percentage, but dropped significantly in the third set with a .129 percentage. The Bisons mirrored this trend, opening with a .320 percentage in the  first set, followed by a .297 in the second set and struggled with a .074 in the third set.

Despite the Bobcats’ efforts, the Bisons led in kills with 40 compared to the 35 from the Bobcats. The herd had a dominant second set, giving them the advantage in this intense matchup. Errors proved costly for both teams.

The Bisons showed a strong performance overall but faced significant challenges as the Bobcats mounted comebacks in each set. Early on, the Bisons dominated offensively, quickly establishing leads in the first and second sets.

However, in both the first and second sets, as they moved into the later stages, the Bobcats mounted a comeback, closing the gap and putting significant pressure on the Bisons. The Bobcats’ offence, led by Bryant and Pauls, found a rhythm and started to exploit openings in the Bisons’ defence, narrowing the leads in both sets. This shift in momentum highlighted a slight inconsistency in the Bisons’ play, where they struggled to close out the sets cleanly and allowed the Bobcats to get back into the game.

Despite the Bobcats’ fight, the Bisons demonstrated composure and mental toughness when it mattered most. In the final moments of each set, they managed to switch gears and secure the crucial points.

The Bisons’ ability to tighten up defensively and capitalize on key moments in the late stages allowed them to edge out each set. While the herd was dominant at the start, it was their resilience and focus in the final moments of each set that ultimately sealed the victory.

The Bisons played against the Bobcats the following day, on Nov. 16, and were defeated in each set.

The Bisons men’s volleyball will face off against the Saskatchewan Huskies on Nov. 22 in Saskatoon at 7 p.m. CT.