WVB: Bisons improve to 9-0 on home court with four-set win over Pandas

WINNIPEG – The University of Manitoba Bisons women’s volleyball team welcomed the Alberta Pandas to the court inside the Investors Group Athletic Centre on Friday in Winnipeg. Alberta (6-8) came into the match right behind Manitoba (8-6) in the Canada West standings and fresh off a massive upset victory over the conference leading Trinity Western Spartans last weekend.
 
After dropping the opening set, the Bisons went on to take the next three, defeating the visiting Pandas in four sets 24-26, 26-24, 25-18, 25-23. 
 
With the win, Manitoba improves their record to 9-6 on the season while remaining in the mix for a home playoff spot in Canada West. All nine of the Herd’s wins have come at home, where they’ve lost just two sets this season. 
 
“We certainly didn’t play our best volleyball but fought hard enough to win,” said Bisons Head Coach Ken Bentley. “In the end, that is what you’re looking for regardless. We played forward and that was probably what I was most proud about tonight.” 
 
Raya Surinx paced the Bisons with 13 kills in the match while tallying a career-high seven service aces and eight digs. 

“Alberta did a good job against her and she probably got blocked more than she is used to but that will be the new normal for her. She served very well, still played the court well. She kept her head and was able to do the other things we needed her to do out there,” added Bentley, speaking to the added attention Surinx received from the Alberta defence. 
 
Third-year Julia Arnold provided 22 digs from the libero position for Manitoba while setter Katrina Bentley recorded 46 assists.
On the Alberta side, Lauryn Tremblay had 17 kills, while Emma Holmes had 13 and Laila Johnston had 11. 
 
The Bisons came out on the wrong side of a tight opening set, falling to the visiting Pandas by a score of 26-24. The Bisons found themselves down on multiple occasions but managed to stay in the fight all the way to the end. 
 
Manitoba scored three straight to make it 24-24, however Holmes pull clutch with two kills in a row to give her side the set. 
 
Gray tallied four kills for a hitting percentage of 0.444 to lead Manitoba. Andi Almonte, Eve Catojo, Brenna Bedosky and Surinx all recorded three kills in the set to contribute to the Bisons attack. 

Flipping the script from the first set, Manitoba mustered a 7-2 lead early on the second set with the offense beginning to click for the Herd. 
 
However, as the set progressed the visiting Pandas clawed their way back. Down just one at 21-20, Alberta looked to be on a roll before a service error put the ball back in the hands of Manitoba, up again by two. Another Panda service error put the Herd on set point, but back-to-back points from the visitors knotted the set up at 24-24. With the Bisons on set point again up 25-24, Bedosky got up for the block that sealed the set for her squad. 

To begin the third and for a second-straight set, Manitoba jumped out to a 7-2 advantage. The Bisons ran away with the second while seeing their lead expand as the set went on before Alberta managed to trim the lead late. With four kills coming from Almonte and three more coming from Gray to pace the Bisons, the hosts sealed the second frame 25-18 to take a 2-1 lead in the match. 
 
The Panda’s showed their fight to start the fourth set as they looked to force a fifth and deciding final frame, jumping out to a 8-2 lead. However, the Herd followed with an 8-2 run to tie the set up at 10-10 thanks in large to a few key attacks from Light Uchechukwu.
 
A few points later the Bisons’ Eve Catojo gave her team their first lead of the set at 12-11 with her second service ace of the game. Later in the set, a block from Gray put the Bisons up by five at 20-15. 
 
Alberta put the pressure on late with Manitoba on match point, stringing together four-straight points. Up 24-23, Surinx put down her 13^th kill of the game to secure the set 25-23 and the match. 
 
The two sides will meet again on the court at the Investors Group Athletic Centre tomorrow night with the game slated to start at 6:45pm following the men’s match.