Women's volleyball student-athlete Taylor Pischke has been named the Smitty's Bison Sports Female Athlete of the Week and football student-athlete Anthony Coombs has been named the Smitty's Bison Sports Male Athlete of the Week for the week ending October 27/13.
To start the 2013-14 conference season, the #8 Bison women's volleyball team swept a home-and-home series against #9 Winnipeg Wesmen on October 24 and 26 and Bison third year Taylor Pischke led the way with a strong two matches as she posted 28 kills, 14 digs, two service aces and 31.5 points during six sets.
In the first match of the season, Manitoba won 3-0 (25-21,-16,-19) and Pischke had the game-high 15 kills with nine digs, two service aces and game-high 18.5 points in the three set road victory at Winnipeg on Thursday, October 24. In addition, the Bisons match was part of the 23rd annual Duckowrth Challenge against U of Winnipeg and Pischke was named Manitoba's Duckworth Challenge Player of the Game as the Herd captured the trophy that night.
Back at home on Saturday, October 26, Manitoba finished the sweep of Winnipeg with another 3-0 (25-22, 25-19, 27-25) win as Pischke again was top Bison with game-high 13 kills, five digs, one assist and game-high 13.5 points.
In early conference stats, the Winnipeg native is tied for first with 4.67 kills per set and second in points per set at 5.25.
The Bisons (2-0) travel to play at #1 and six-time defending CIS champion UBC Thunderbirds (2-0) on November 1-2 weekend.
Manitoba Bisons running back/kick returner Anthony Coombs had a record breaking game as the #9 Manitoba Bisons football team clinched second place in the final regular season game of the 2013 season with a 60-18 win at Alberta on Saturday, October 26. Coombs was spectacular by rushing for 175 yards on only 13 carries (13.5 avg.) along with a Canada West record 107 TD run plus added another 122 receiving yards on five catches (24.4 avg.) with 1 TD in only 2.5 half quarters.Â
The third year running back/kick returner had 297 all-purpose yards in the road victory that propelled Manitoba to a 5-3 record and host a playoff game for the first time ever at Investors Group Field.
Coombs salted the game late in the second quarter when Manitoba was pinned deep in their territory and broke off a 107 rushing TD that set the new conference record for longest rush and third longest in CIS history.
The Winnipeg native added a 38 yard TD reception in the first quarter and did not play the last quarter and half as the game was in hand by then.
At the end of the 2013 Canada West football regular season, Coombs was first in Canada West all-purpose yards with 1,696 (212.0 per game average) yards, second with 1,015 conference rushing yards, third in punt return average at 11.6, ninth in receiving yards with 509 and second in Canada West overall touchdowns with 11 while starting in all eight conference games.
The #9 Manitoba Bisons now host their first playoff game since the 2007 Vanier Cup Championship season when they are at home against the #10 Saskatchewan Huskies (5-3) on Friday, November 1 at 7 p.m. CT at Investors Group Field. Tickets are available at all Ticketmaster locations and online at: ticketmaster.ca
