WINNIPEG – Raya Surinx broke her third program record of the season, and the Manitoba Bisons won their third game in a row since returning from the winter break, 3-0 over Saskatchewan (25-23, 25-21, 25-23) on Friday night at IGAC.
 
The win improved Manitoba's record to 9-4, surging ahead of the Huskies, as well as Trinity Western in the standings. They are currently in a quarterfinal host position at 9-4 heading into tomorrow's rematch at 5:45 pm.
 
Surinx – who broke the program record (rally scoring era) for career kills, and career regular season aces earlier this year – now holds the trifecta, passing Rachel Cockrell in set two with her 1,175^th career regular season kill.
 
Surinx finished the match with a game-high 14 kills on 33 attacks, with 13 of those kills coming in the first two sets, helping her side sustain momentum in a game that was back-and-forth throughout.
 
The Huskies were led by 11 kills from Keely Anderson, who also had ten digs and a hitting percentage of .320. Libero Mary Rioflorido, who leads Canada West with 279 digs, added nine.
 
"There's no way any of that is possible without the amazing compete on defence, and putting the serve over so we can get the play going on serve-receive, and Julia [Martens'] setting of course," said Surinx of the team around her, allowing her to have sustained success while breaking program records.
 
"I don't get the ball if the ball can't get up. It's absolutely a testament to them, everything I've ever accomplished in my career, I owe it all to my team."
 
The true freshman Martens dished out 27 assists, while Manitoba racked up 45 digs as a team, one better than the Huskies, who entered the contest as the conference-leaders in the category.
 
Martens recorded ten digs, the third time this season that she's picked up double digits in the category, while Andi Almonte added ten. Five different Bisons had at least four digs in the contest, helping the hosts win a plethora of long rallies.
 
The two sides combined for 40 digs in set one, with many extended rallies bringing the crowd to their feet.
 
One of those rallies came with the score tied at 14, as both teams combined for ten digs in a spirited battle that went the way of the visitors on an Abbey Klein kill.
 
Anderson recorded two digs in that period, and led all players with six after one.
 
But Manitoba was just as strong in the back row, with Almonte, Martens and Ella Gray combining for 13 digs. Offensively, Surinx had 14 total attacks, and put down a few key kills late, including the set winner as the hosts took the first by two. Surinx had six kills after one overall.
 
Anderson and Bisons libero Chelsea Siebenga, who had four digs, both recorded highlight-reel saves in set two. Each dove to the floor to keep rallies going, needing just one hand to keep the ball in play.
 
Both teams were clean on the attack, with Sask hitting .294 and Manitoba hitting .333. The difference came at the line, where Surinx blasted four straight aces in what was once a one-point Manitoba lead. She finished with five aces in the game overall, but the moment of the match came after her 11^th kill of the game.
 
Surinx put down career regular season kill 1,175 on a c ball attack, giving Manitoba an 18-14 lead on a beautiful set from Martens that landed cross-court on the Sask side.
 
"It makes it a lot easier as a setter knowing if we're in a struggling position, you get [Surinx] the ball and even with the blocker standing there with her, she can still get a kill with it," said Martens.
 
"It's nice to know you have a player like that who will just put the ball away no matter what. We have so many good players on the court that it makes it easy. I can set them a lot and try not to over push to Raya when the blockers are there, and you still get her the odd ball and she'll get a kill every time. It's great to play with her. She's so nice on the court. Even with a bad set she'll still save it and make a nice swing. It makes my job easy."
 
Set three featured another duel of impressive digs. Ella Gray weathered the storm of a few lethal Huskies pipe attacks, delivering a variety of in system balls to Martens, while Rioflorido sprinted all across the gym to keep the ball from hitting the floor.
 
At one point, Rioflorido dove from the front to back row to get one hand on the volleyball, helping the Huskies earn a point on a Klein kill to cut into a six-point Bisons lead.
 
But the Herd's balanced attack was on full display, negating any form of a U of S comeback.
 
Aviendah Plett had two kills early from the middle and added an assisted block with Almonte, and Gray, Almonte and Surinx also got in on the fun on the attack, while Eve Catojo put down an ace. Surinx ended the game on a smash off a double block from the left.