WINNIPEG – The Manitoba Bisons recorded 24 assisted blocks and two solos, out-lasting the Saskatchewan Huskies 3-1 (25-17, 19-25, 25-16, 25-18) in a spirited affair on Saturday night at IGAC.
 
Setter Julia Martens led the way with a career-high eight assisted blocks, while middles Aviendah Plett and Eve Catojo both added six. Raya Surinx and Andi Almonte both contributed solos, and Surinx led the attack with 20 kills. Martens dished out 37 assists as well.
 
The Huskies got 13 combined blocks from Aidan Woloshyn and Keely Anderson.
 
"The highlight for me was how we played in the third set," said Bisons head coach Ken Bentley.
 
"After we lost the second, I liked how we responded, and the next two sets, I was really proud of that. All the other plays that came with it were a bonus. I just felt like we were really strong emotionally and mentally and just cracked on. I was really happy with that."
 
Saskatchewan led by five early in the set, thanks in part to two blocks from Woloshyhn, and five kills from Taryn Hannah, but it was the Bisons who took control as play rolled on.
 
Raya Surinx, Ella Gray and Eve Catojo all had at least three kills, and setter Julia Martens dished out ten assists overall in a balanced attack that saw the Herd hit .478.
 
At the service line, Aviendah Plett put down an ace, with her and Martens putting the pressure on their opponents with tricky deliveries, allowing the hosts to set up on the block. Manitoba's denial at the net included three assisted blocks from Martens, including an impressive team up with Plett to end one of many long rallies.
 
A Gray line shot put Manitoba on set point, and Catojo and Gray put up an assisted block to give the hosts a 1-0 lead.
 
Both teams had notable runs in set two. Manitoba cut the momentum of a Huskies surge with three straight points to tie the game at 15. Gray went on a serving run that included an ace, and Surinx put down a line shot kill on an out of system pass from libero Chelsea Siebenga.
 
But the Huskies scored ten of the following 14 points, including seven in a row with Tahlia Cook at the service line. She put down an ace, and helped her side establish a strong block, including two assisted from Keely Anderson.
 
Manitoba broke a 12-12 tie wide open in the third, recording ten of the next 13 points en route to the set win.
 
Surinx and Plett both had two kills during the run, while Surinx – who led all players with 14 kills entering the fourth – added an ace, as Manitoba weathered the storm of a persistent Huskies block.
 
Andi Almonte added a solo block and had two key kills down the stretch, including the final point of the second on a cross-court blast from the left to end another long rally.
 
Martens, Plett and Catojo all got in on blocks in the fourth set, while Hannah and Tahlia Cook contributed at the net for the visitors. Overall in the game, the two sides were at 39 combined blocks at the midway mark of the fourth, with Manitoba holding onto a one-point lead throughout.
 
But it was the Bisons who were the cleaner team on the attack. They hit .265, with Surinx, Almonte, Gray and Catojo all tallying kills as the hosts burst out to a six-point lead late, controlling play down the stretch to secure the win.
 
Game point came from a Surinx kill on a rally that included a one-handed dig from Martens.
 
Manitoba travels to MacEwan this weekend to continue their second half schedule.