Box Score WINNIPEG, MB - After two losses out west against Trinity Western last weekend, the Bison men's volleyball team were looking to pull off an upset against the #5-ranked UBC Thunderbirds and right the ship at the Investors Group Athletic Centre on Friday, November 7.

Unfortunately, UBC asserted themselves in three of four sets and won it cleanly (25-16, 26-24, 26-28, 25-20).

The win is UBC's sixth straight, as they improve to 8-1. Mac McNicol had a big night on the outside, recording 19 kills and six kills. Jarrid Ireland had 13 kills in support and Irvan Brar added ten.

Manitoba, who now fall to 5-4, got big nights from Devren Dear and Adam DeJonckheere in a losing effort - both players recorded 15 kills.

After a short, dominant 25-16 first set win by the Thunderbirds, Manitoba recovered and looked to be right there in the second set. Earning a tie at 24-24 on six set kills by Devren Dear, UBC called a timeout and came out with the Chris Howe Show. First, Howe worked out of the middle for a blast to the floor. On the next point, he got up on the left side for a firm block on Dear to seal the 26-24 win.

In the third, Manitoba stared to mix it up. On Luke Herr's serve, they established a lead and built it to 21-14, only to see UBC battle back to tie it at 24. Manitoba went on to fight off two match points, with Dear and Kevin Falconer both earning set points before DeJonckheere closed the deal with a left-side spike for the 28-26 win.

Though Dear would make another trio of big plays to start the fourth, getting the Bisons lead up to 8-4, it was UBC again coming back and showing their dominance late in the set. Their variety of attack - back row, outside and middle - got the Bisons on their heels defensively, and ended up with a 25-20 set win and the match.

The Bison men's volleyball team will play the second of their back-to-back with UBC on Saturday, November 8 at 7 p.m. CST.