Young volleyball teams from around Winnipeg packed the stands at Investors Group Athletic Centre to watch the defending CIS champion University of Manitoba Bisons fall 3-2 (25-20, 25-21, 23-25, 25-27, 15-17) to the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack in a hard-fought women's volleyball match on Friday, Nov. 21. 

The win brings the WolfPack to 7-6, while the Bisons now sit at 5-8. 

Despite starting the game by sending hits into the stands, the WolfPack eventually found the court and gained a one-point advantage to lead 16-15 heading into the technical timeout. The Bisons stepped up and responded with great digs from libero Caleigh Dobie and strong kills from Athlete of the Week Rachel Cockrell to win the first set 25-20. 

Thompson Rivers regained momentum and opened the second with three consecutive points, but only scored on 47 per cent of their attacks throughout the set, while the Bisons put up 12 total kills in the second, eventually taking the set 25-21. 

The WolfPack retaliated in the third, taking an early lead to enter the technical timeout up 16-10. Manitoba fought back and scored off strong blocks and attack line defence, but couldn't hold off the strong Thompson Rivers offence and lost the set 23-25. 

The teams went point-for-point in the fourth. Thompson Rivers held off two Manitoba match point attempts, tying the set 24-24. Cockrell responded, landing a kill on the backcourt line to bring the Bisons up 25-24. But the Bisons literally dropped the ball on the next rally, and Thompson Rivers' Alyssa Wolf and Brianne Rauch scored on consecutive rallies to give the WolfPack a 27-25 set victory and send the game into five sets. 

The teams battled for every point in the fifth, but the WolfPack came out on top, winning the set 17-15 and the game 3-2. 

The teams will face off again on Saturday, Nov. 22 at Investors Group Athletic Centre at 5 p.m. CST.