WINNIPEG – The Calgary Dinos recorded 20 assisted blocks, compared to four for Manitoba, willing their way to a 3-0 win (25-22, 25-19, 25-21) on Friday night at IGAC.
 
Narelle Arnold had seven assisted blocks in the game for the visitors, while Sophia Hansen and Lena Blanke combined for nine. Manitoba got ten kills each from Raya Surinx and Eve Catojo.
 
The win improved Calgary's record to 2-2, while Manitoba fell to 2-2.
 
Four of Calgary's first seven points in set one were due to Bisons errors (eight in the set overall), as the visitors took an early eight point lead. Hansen and Blanke combined for seven kills as well, as the Dinos won the first set by three.
 
Manitoba pushed back, keeping a variety of rallies alive with impressive digs, including a pancake from left side Andi Almonte that led to a Lucy Jurgensen kill, while Brenna Bedosky and Surinx put down aces as Manitoba got within two.
 
But that's as close as they would come, as Calgary responded with their outsides. Hansen ended the first with a blast off hands to give her side a 1-0 set lead.
 
The Dinos had 14 assisted blocks after two sets, surging to a 2-0 set lead thanks in part to their play at the net.
 
The Bisons led early at 5-2 following two Surinx aces, but Calgary kept the Herd's leader in kills at bay on the attack, helping the visitors take the lead and eventually the set along the way.
 
Ashley Ditchfield and Blanke combined for multiple assisted blocks on Surinx, and as a team they denied Surinx at the net five times through the first two sets. The pair had seven combined assisted blocks entering the third.
 
Catojo, Almonte, and Surinx all played a big factor in set three for Manitoba, while Blanke and Ditchfield continued to put up a wall at the net for the visitors. Calgary led by as much as six at 18-12, with the Herd powering back thanks to back to back kills from Almonte and Surinx to make the score 20-19.
 
But a few costly errors late, and long rallies went the way of the Dino, who pulled out the three-set win.
 
The Herd are on the bye next weekend, while Calgary travels to face Trinity Western.