WINNIPEG – Sparked by a gritty defensive effort, the No. 3 nationally ranked Manitoba Bisons made it 11 wins in a row on Thursday night at the Duckworth Centre, defeating Winnipeg 3-1 to improve to 13-4 on the campaign.
The victory vaulted Manitoba into first place in the conference with three regular season games left to play. They haven't lost a conference game in over two months, dating back to November 2nd. The two sides will play again on Saturday at IGAC at 2:00 pm to conclude the home-and-home.
More importantly, Manitoba's victory gave the Herd a 2-0 lead in the annual Duckworth Challenge against their cross-town rivals. The Wesmen men's team won the following game 3-2 to narrow Manitoba's lead to 2-1. Basketball wraps up the challenge at IGAC on Friday at 6 and 8 pm.
As a team, the Bisons posted 61 digs, led by senior libero
Julia Arnold's 21.
It's the sixth time in her career that the fifth-year has recorded at least 20 digs against Winnipeg, and in a full-circle moment, she helped Manitoba win on the same court where she broke the five-set Canada West playoff record for digs, with a career-high 35 in the 2023 bronze medal game.
That contest saw the Wesmen and Bisons combine for 213 digs in an intense five-set Manitoba win. The victory earned the Bisons a spot at nationals, the first of three straight trips to the tournament.
"I was reflecting on that game on the way here honestly," said Arnold.
"We've just come along so well since then. That game was really the game where we thought f**k we can do this. We can make this happen. That really set the tone for the next three years."
Arnold's fellow seniors and long-time friends
Katreena Bentley and
Light Uchechukwu also shone in their last game at the U of W.
The school's all-time leader in assists, Bentley was named Manitoba's game MVP after dishing out 43 assists, along with two kills, nine digs and an assisted block.
Meanwhile, Uchechukwu had ten kills and eight digs, many of which came in thrilling and impressive fashion.
At the beginning of the fourth set, Uchechukwu dove from the back row to keep a rally alive, with the nation's leading attacker
Raya Surinx finishing things off with a blast off hands from the left side.
Surinx ended the game with a season-high 23 kills, while posting over 50 attacks for the 15th time as a Bison.
Later on, Uchechukwu sprinted across the court, saving a ball that was eventually killed by Surinx.
"We can keep going [with our fitness]," said Uchechukwu.
"That's not a luxury that a lot of other people have. When it comes to that fourth, fifth set, we're still going to be fine to hit the ball as hard as we can, and get to those crazy balls."
Uchechukwu's efforts were replicated by everyone on Manitoba's roster. Arnold had a bevy of sprawling saves, none more important than her third set save with the score tied at 16.
The set had gone back-and-forth from the jump, and momentum was up for grabs. The Bisons had taken set one 25-20, paced by Surinx's seven kills with just one error, but Winnipeg pushed back.
Down 14-8,, 22-19 and 24-23, the Wesmen didn't waiver. Libero Taylor Cangemi and left side Brooke Duncalfe paced a stout Winnipeg defence, combining for 33 of their sides's 51 digs which kept many rallies going.
Offensively, Selva Planincic (12 kills) and Ella Webiski posted aces, with the former's giving the hosts a 25-24 lead. Emily Lavallee then ended things with a block. She had a game-high seven assisted blocks on the night.
Cue set three, and Arnold's one-handed dig, which led to a Winnipeg error. The Herd won the following three points and ended the set courtesy of Surinx, cross-court from the right.
Manitoba took a 4-1 lead early in set four and ran away with things in a 15-5 victory. Bentley won a 50-50 ball to keep an attack off Manitoba's side, and she put her body on the line later on, leading to a Winnipeg error.
Arnold also dove to the ground to save a rally which was ended by left side
Ella Gray on an attack with painted the back line for the Bisons' 24 point. Surinx then ended the match from the left.
"The first two sets weren't exactly comfortable for us," admitted Arnold.
"We weren't exactly playing the way we wanted to play, or normally play. Finding that defensive intensity and getting touches like that really helps to ground us in playing Bisons volleyball, and helps the rest of our game flourish."
