With basketball and men's volleyball on a bye, women's hockey takes a home spotlight spot this weekend as they take on rival Regina at Wayne Fleming Arena.
Meanwhile, on the road, Bisons cross country athletes compete at nationals while men's hockey and women's volleyball look for wins in the Queen City.
Get set for it all in our weekend preview.
Women's Hockey vs. Regina – November 8 (7 PM), November 9 (2 PM)
WATCH: CanadaWest.TV
LISTEN: UMFM second stream
UPDATES: follow @umbisonsWHKY on Twitter
A road-weary Manitoba Bisons women's hockey team (2-6-0) returns home this weekend, as they put a stretch of three road series in four weeks behind them to host the Regina Cougars (2-6-0).
Challenges with scoring have plagued the young Bisons to start the season, but the team is hoping a home-friendly stretch of games before the winter break can help right the ship. After three of their first four weekends were on the road, that story flips in the month of November — with three of their next four weekends in the friendly confines of Wayne Fleming Arena.
Still, Manitoba is last in the conference with just nine goals scored in eight games this season, with two of those coming in their last win — Oct. 18 at Calgary. They've been led in scoring by fourth-year defenceman
Jenai Buchanan, who has two goals and three assists from the blue line.
Despite their lack of offensive production, Manitoba has been more than solid in their own end. Their 95.7% penalty kill percentage is the best in the conference, eight percentage points ahead of Mount Royal in second. In fact, they've given up just one power play goal over 23 opportunities for the opposition.
Regina, meanwhile, are near the bottom of the pack in penalty kill (82.4%, 7
th), presenting an opportunity for the Bisons in this weekend series. The Cougars have been led in scoring by Jaycee Magwood (four goals, one assist) and Tamara McVannel (one goal, four assists).
Bisons hockey tickets are $10 at the door, with UM students and fans 12-and-under in free!
U SPORTS Cross Country Championships
WATCH: USPORTS.live
Five Bisons men and one woman are making the trip to Queen's University this weekend, as they compete in the 2019 U SPORTS Cross Country Championships.
No longer serving as double duty, Bisons cross country are simply chasing national glory in this event. For the men, they're following up a 7
th place finish at the Canada West Championship a couple weeks back, as fifth-year
Simon Berube ended up the top finisher — placing 17
th and running the 10km race in 33:43. Behind him,
Nickolas Kosmenko cracked the top 50, placing 44
th.
Also competing at nationals will be Deric Kornelson,
Calvin Reimer, and
Michael Wood for the Bisons men, while
Shayna Giesbrecht will wear the brown and gold for the Bisons women.
Men's Hockey at Regina – November 8 (8 PM), November 9 (3 PM)
WATCH: CanadaWest.TV
UPDATES: follow @umbisonsMHKY on Twitter
Conference projections weren't too kind to the Bisons men's hockey team coming into this season, but a young team has grown up quickly; at 4-4-0, Manitoba is in playoff position here in the first half.
This weekend they travel to take on a team at the bottom of the Canada West standings in the Regina Cougars (1-7-0). There's been struggles to be had in Saskatchewan's biggest city, as Regina has a goal differential of 15 scored to 40 allowed, the lowest by ten in the conference.
Still, threats abound from this Cougars team. Forward Connor Chaulk, who scored four points last season, has already exceeded that in his second year with a goal and four assists. Forward Tanner Campbell leads the teams in goals scored with three.
For Manitoba, it's all about the leadership group setting up the young core for success. Defenceman
Adam Henry leads the team in scoring (four goals, five assists), but it's not just fifth-years —
Keaton Jameson and
Jeremey Leipsic have combined for 16 points, six of those coming in the last four games alone.
Women's Volleyball at Regina – November 8 (6 PM), November 9 (6 PM)
WATCH: CanadaWest.TV
UPDATES: follow @BisonWVB on Twitter
Bisons women's volleyball (0-4) are also on a bus to Regina this weekend, as they take on the Cougars (1-3) in a battle between two teams looking to get back on track.
Manitoba's opened the season with two challenging matchups in Mount Royal and UBC Okanagan, but hung in admirably — losing two matches in five and the other two in four. Against Regina, they'll see if they can continue getting good play from their middles. Fifth-year
Allison Alcock is 12
th in the conference in hitting percentage at .246, while third-year
Grace van der Meer is getting it done on defence with 1.18 blocks per set, good for 11
th in Canada West.
Regina has their own defensive threat in the middle, though, as Emma Matheson currently leads the conference with 1.50 blocks per set through four matches. Matheson has some backup from libero Sierra Parris-Kruger as well, who's averaging 4.14 digs per set — also tops in the conference.
Notes from the Range
