Box Score Winnipeg, MB – The Bison women's volleyball team hosted the Grant MacEwan Griffins for a closely-contested match-up at the Investors Group Athletic Centre on Sat., Oct. 31. The Griffins came out strong, but the Bisons' strength at the net helped them win the match 3-1 (25-23, 25-20, 20-25, 25-12).
 
With ten players in their first or second year, the young Bisons team was working hard for their first win of the season. Much like the night before, the Griffins and Bisons were both fighting for every point and often trading the lead throughout the match. In the end, the Bisons' presence at the net made the difference, consistently blocking and spiking the ball throughout the match.
 
"We're trying to search for what we think is our best line-up, and I think tonight went pretty well for us," said Bisons Head Coach Ken Bentley. "It was a big win."
 
The first set saw the Griffins take an early lead, with kills from Cassidy Kinsella and Michelle Bodnarek creating some distance before the Bisons began to rally back. Led by Haillie Bujan, the Bisons fought their way back to tie the set at 18. A service ace by Courtney Kowk created momentum for the Bisons that saw them take the first set 25-23.
 
The Bisons' offensive strength continued in the second set, as Jordana Milne and Tori Studler each carried their team with five kills. The turning point came when Milne made an impressive first-touch spike to bring the Bisons to a 17-15 lead. The Bisons carried the second set 25-20.
 
Grant MacEwan refused to go down easy and came out strong in the third. Griffins servers managed to get five service aces, and Cassidy Kinsella racked up seven kills. The pressure proved insurmountable for the Bisons who lost the set 25-20.
 
The Bisons started the fourth set with a five-point run and never looked back. The Griffins almost clawed their way back early in the set, but the home team quickly re-established their five-point lead before extending that to a ten-point lead. Bisons veteran Sydney Purvis had an early service ace and another one closer to the end, making it 22-9 late in the set. The Bisons easily won the set 25-12.
 
Manitoba's Tori Studler led the game with 13 kills, while Milne had the most overall points with 17. Cassidy Kinsella was the leading scorer for the Griffins, with 12 kills and 13.5 overall points. Manitoba had 20 blocks, doubling the Griffins' ten.
 
The Bisons' next game is against Mount Royal University at the Investors Group Athletic Centre at 7:30 p.m. CT on Nov. 6, while the Griffins' next game is on Nov. 13 against the University of Alberta.