WINNIPEG – After having their backs against the wall, the Manitoba Bisons came back to win the last three sets and secured a weekend sweep over the Winnipeg Wesmen at the Duckworth Centre on Saturday (21-25, 23-25, 25-12, 25-16, 16-14).

Manitoba was led by the combination of Kearley Abbott and Jocelyn Koswin on the attack. Abbott had a match-high 19 kills, while Koswin wasn't far behind with 17. The win improves the Bisons to 11-9, while the Wesmen fall to 4-16.

"Winnipeg, they played great volleyball today and we had to raise our game otherwise we were outta here in three-zero," Bisons head coach Ken Bentley said. "I was just glad we hung in there long enough to start playing better on our side. We started siding-out better and from that point I think we were just in a better position."

Bolstered by a home crowd, the Wesmen came out much better on Saturday than they did on Friday, when Manitoba won in straight sets. In the first, Winnipeg took seven of the first nine points to lead at the technical timeout. Though the Bisons would tie it at 20, four kills from Kalena Schulz and Ashleigh Laube proved the difference.

In the second, Winnipeg led 24-18 but had to fend off a furious comeback by the Bisons. Emma Parker ended up closing the set off the block, one of her team-leading 15 kills on the evening.

Then, the Bisons took command. In the third, they led by as many as 14 points on their way to a 25-12 rout. In the fourth, it was a bit tighter, but Manitoba carried an early lead to the finish once again.

The fifth was much closer, as Winnipeg rallied to lead 8-7 at the flop. Late in the set, though, a critical service error by Rylie Dickson at 14-14 opened the door for Josie Abbott to win it off hands.

Manitoba will now play a home series against the Regina Cougars on February 8-9.