WINNIPEG — The Manitoba Bisons men’s volleyball team faced the Winnipeg Wesmen Friday night at the Investors Group Athletic Centre to kick off their final weekend series of 2021.
It was a battle of the league’s top hitters as Winnipeg’s Daniel Thiessen and Manitoba’s Ben Carleton both sat atop the Canada West kills leaders entering play.
In the end, it was Carleton and the Bisons who knocked off their cross-town rivals in straight sets.
The Bisons struck first in the match, taking the first set by a convincing 25-14 score. The set win was aided by nine errors from the Wesmen.
In the second, a late scoring run propelled the Bisons to their second consecutive set victory 25-23. Ben Carleton, Owen Schwartz and Spencer Grahame accounted for most of the scoring, combining for 15 kills in the frame.
After trailing early in the third, the Bisons came back to win 25-22, putting an exclamation point on a statement victory. The win gives Manitoba a slight 2-1 lead in the season series between the teams and improves their season record to 4-3.
Bisons first-year head coach Arnd Ludwig said he was happy with his team’s performance but wants to see them get their first weekend sweep tomorrow.
“I really liked our composure tonight even when we were down, we stayed calm,” he said. “We know the Wesmen will come into tomorrow’s game fired up, so we will have to be prepared.”
Carleton and Thiessen both reached double-digit kills, but it was Manitoba’s Spencer Grahame who stole the show with a game-high 15.
Wesmen head coach Larry McKay kept it short and sweet in his post-game interview.
“It was a great performance by the other team,” he said. “We need to play better tomorrow.”
The Bisons and Wesmen will meet Saturday night at 6:45 p.m. for the last game of the first half. After tomorrow’s match, Manitoba will be out of action until Jan. 14, when they host Alberta for the first of two exhibition games.