WINNIPEG – Middle Eve Catojo and left side Raya Surinx both made history on Friday night, setting school records (rally scoring era) in career regular season blocks and career regular season aces, respectively, helping Manitoba to a 3-1 win (23-25, 25-15, 25-19, 25-23) over Mount Royal. 

The win improved the Herd’s record to 7-4, while the Cougars fell to 2-9. Both teams play again tomorrow night. 

Catojo combined with veteran right side Ella Gray for an assisted block in set one, becoming the first Bison in the rally scoring era to amass 300 total blocks. Meanwhile, Surinx’s first of two aces in set one placed her alone in first as the only Bison in the rally scoring era to record 150 total.

“It’s a great accomplishment. I haven’t had a lot of time to let it percolate. I just have a great team who pushes me, and works hard alongside me, and that makes it easy for me to work hard for them,” said Catojo of the record. 

“We have such a great culture of grinding it out, and I think that’s helped make me into the player that I am today. The only reason that I reach these accomplishments is because I have such a great support system and such a great team.”

After losing the first set, Catojo and Surinx were both key in the host’s comeback. Catojo had four kills in set two – including the winner – and hit over .900 entering the third, while Surinx finished with a game-high 18 kills to go with four total aces. 

Bethany Carter – making her first start in the regular season for Manitoba – added stability in all areas with 13 digs and nine kills, while libero Chelsea Siebenga had 20 digs. 

“I think it was just about staying intense,” said Catojo of the team’s pushback after going down a set. 

In set one, Mount Royal showed similar resiliency to that of their opponents. Trailing 5-1 early, they rattled off seven of the next nine points to take an 8-7 lead. The rest of the set went back and forth, with MRU coming out on top. 

After Manitoba tied the game at 19, the Cougars responded, scoring four of the next five points, eventually winning the set by two. Faith Obasi – who hit .462 overall – was key during the surge, with two kills, while Aurora Bentrim added an ace, and gave the visitors the set with one of her 11 kills in the game. 

Manitoba responded, winning the next three sets. They had just four errors in the second, compared to nine for MRU, paced by Catojo’s efficiency from the middle and a team effort defensively. 

Carter and Surinx continued to find their groove in set three, with the former putting down an ace and two critical kills down the stretch, including the set-winner off the block from the left. 

The Cougars hit .364 in the fourth set, keeping level with Manitoba throughout. Sydney Scatcherd tied the game multiple times, including at 18, finishing with a team-best 17 kills and .300 hitting percentage. 

But Surinx helped close the contest, recording seven of her 18 kills in the fourth. She also kept a long rally going with a one-handed dig (as did setter Julia Martens), which was put home by Carter to give the hosts a 20-18 lead. Surinx eventually ended the game with a blast from the left.