Bisons right sides Nicoles Carter and Light Uchechukwu are Boston Pizza Athletes of the Week, after putting up big numbers against rival Saskatchewan.
The 6’6″ Carter has been trending upwards ever since the winter break, where he was outstanding in exhibition play out east, recording 34 kills over four games. He’s carried that momentum into the second half, recording the best two-game showing of his Bisons career, with a combined 30 kills against No. 7 nationally ranked Saskatchewn, nearly doubling his season output.
On Friday, Carter had 11 kills on 29 attacks as the Bisons took a set against the green dogs. He also had a season’s best two solo blocks and two assisted blocks. The rangy attacker was key to the team’s 25-22 second set win, recording four kills, as well as two assists, one at the beginning of the set and one at the end.
On Saturday, Carter was fed a season-high 43 times, posting a career-best 19 kills and just eight errors as the Bisons upset the Huskies in five sets. He also had a solo block, three assisted blocks and nine digs.
Carter had five kills in the first set, along with an assisted block that helped seal a marathon 30-28 win for the Bisons. He added four more kills and another assisted block in a set three win for Manitoba, and had a kill, as well as a key dig in the fifth, as Manitoba out-lasted the Huskies in five for a massive win.
The victory puts the Herd just two points out of a playoff spot as they enter a bye week, followed by a critical home and home with Winnipeg, a team that’s two points behind them in the standings.
On the women’s side, Uchechukwu was part of a balanced Bisons attack, as Manitoba won their sixth game in a row and 12th in their last 14.
The veteran attacker had 34 kills over two games against the Huskies, including a season’s best of 22 in a Saturday win to secure the Bisons’ first road sweep of the season.
Uchechukwu’s defence was also valuable. Five different Bisons had at least ten digs in a five-set Friday win, including the right side, who had a season’s best of 14, just two off of her career best of 16 set last season.
On Saturday, Uchechukwu went off. She hit .429 while recording just four errors as the Bisons swept Saskatchewan for a four-set victory. Eight of her kills came in the second set as Manitoba took three in a row,.