The U of M Bisons men’s volleyball team had a mixed weekend, defeating the University of British Columbia (UBC) Okanagan Heat in straight sets, 25-16, 25-21 and 25-20 on Friday, Jan. 17 but losing 3-1 in the rematch on Saturday, Jan. 18. Despite the split, the Bisons showed flashes of brilliance and determination, leaving fans hopeful for the rest of the Canada West division.
On Friday, the Bisons traveled to the Heat’s gymnasium for the weekend face off. The Bisons came into the match looking to assert their dominance, and they did just that, taking down the Heat in straight sets.
From the opening serve, it was clear that the Bisons were on a mission. Despite the Heat winning the first point stemming from an attack error by Spencer Grahame, the Bisons quickly regained control, scoring three consecutive points to take a 3-1 lead. The first point was achieved for the Bisons as a result of Thys Weststrate’s service error, the second by Ashton South’s attack error and the third by Owen Weekes’s kill. The Heat managed to score another point, but the Bisons continued to push forward, scoring two more points from Zach Van Geel’s service error and Lucas Woelders’s attack error, to make it 5-2.
The set continued with both teams trading points. At first, the Heat took the lead with five straight points to make 13-10 but the Bisons created a significant gap in retaliation. They scored six points to make it 20-14, and eventually took the set, 25-16.
The second set followed a similar pattern, with the Heat scoring the first point, only to be met with a strong response from the Bisons’ setter, Sammy Ludwig. The Bisons scored three consecutive points, and although the Heat managed to keep it close, the Bisons’ offence was too much to handle. They edged out the set, 25-21, in large part from their ability to win the crucial points.
The third set was a tightly contested affair, with both teams trading points and neither able to gain a significant advantage. However, when the score was tied at 17-17, the Bisons seized the opportunity to take control. They scored three consecutive points from Woelders’s attack error, Weekes’s kill and another attack error by Rory O’Brien, toward the end of the set, making it 24-19, and eventually took the set 25-20.
The statistics from the game paint a clear picture of the Bisons’ dominance. They had 33 kills compared to the Heat’s 29, and made only 8 hitting errors, compared to the Heat’s 15. The Bisons also showed their prowess in attack, earning 72 total attempts compared to the Heat’s 68.
The Bisons’ strong serving game was also on display, as they earned 10 service aces, compared to two by the opposing team. Although the Bisons made 16 service errors, one more than the opposition, their aggressive serving paid off in the end.
The Heat’s defence was put to the test, as they were forced to make 25 digs, compared to 19 by the Bisons. The Heat also made 10 receive errors, compared to the Bisons’ two.
In terms of blocking, the Heat had two solo blocks, compared to the Bisons’ one. The Bisons managed to surpass their opponents in blocks, with blocks of 7 and 6 for the two teams.
On Saturday, the Bisons faced off against the Heat in a highly anticipated rematch. Despite a valiant effort, the Bisons ultimately fell short, losing 3-1.
The first set was a back-and-forth affair, with both teams trading points and neither was able to gain a significant advantage. The Heat scored the first point, but the Bisons quickly retaliated with four consecutive points from Seba Manuel’s service error, Weekes’s kill, Manuel’s attack error and Sam Jablonski’s attack error, to take a 4-1 lead.
The Heat managed to close the gap afterwards but the Bisons kept dominating, and later score three straight points to make it 9-7. The Bisons maintained their lead until the Heat made a comeback, scoring three consecutive points to take the lead later on. The Bisons fought hard to regain the lead, but ultimately fell short, losing the set 25-23.
The second set was a different story, as the Heat came out strong, taking an early lead and never looking back. The Bisons earned the first three points of the set, but the Heat quickly tied the game at 6-6 and then took the lead. After both teams traded points a few times, the Heat did not back down and kept soaring, scoring six consecutive points to take a commanding 16-10 lead. The Bisons managed to score a few more points, but the Heat’s lead was too great to overcome. The set ended 25-18 in favour of the Heat.
The third set saw the Bisons come out with renewed determination, earning the first three consecutive points and maintaining their lead throughout the set. The Heat managed to close the gap, scoring four consecutive points to take the lead, but the Bisons fought back, regaining the lead and holding on for a 25-21 win.
The fourth set was a must-win for the Bisons, but unfortunately, they came up short. The Heat scored three consecutive points to take the lead, and although the Bisons managed to score a few more points, the Heat’s lead was too great to overcome.
The Heat scored seven consecutive points to take a commanding 19-9 lead, and the Bisons were unable to recover. The set ended 25-14 in favour of the Heat, securing their win.
The match statistics also highlighted the Heat’s dominance. The Heat had 45 kills, four more than the Bisons, and made fewer hitting errors, with 15 compared to the Bisons’ 23. The Heat also had a higher hitting percentage of 0.270.
The Bisons men’s volleyball team will play the UBC Thunderbirds on Friday, Jan. 24 at 9:30 p.m. CT and on Saturday, Jan. 25 at 8 p.m. CT in Vancouver.
