WINNIPEG – The Winnipeg Wesmen recorded 59 digs, weathering the storm of an aggressive Bisons attack in a 3-2 win (29-27, 15-25, 25-20, 21-25, 16-14) on Saturday night at IGAC. The victory gave the visitors their third win of the Duckworth Challenge, but it wasn't enough, as the Herd had already won on points thanks to two wins from their men's volleyball team and one each from their women's volleyball and women's and men's basketball teams.
 
Winnipeg improved to 6-12, while Manitoba fell to 13-5, but are still in a top four spot in Canada West. The Herd conclude their regular season schedule against Fraser Valley on the road in two weeks.
 
Manitoba honoured graduating seniors Raya Surinx, Andi Almonte, Eve Catojo, Ella Gray, Elia Falcone and Brenna Bedosky prior to the game, as they played in their final regular season home game as members of the Herd. The six standouts combined for for 67.5 points, led by Raya Surinx's 25 kills and 17 digs.
 
Libero Chelsea Siebenga was named Manitoba's Duckworth game MVP with 14 digs, while Brooke Duncalfe earned the honour for Winnipeg with 27 kills.
 
The hosts battled back from four points down in the first to take the set to extras. A sprawling Catojo dig led to Surinx's fifth kill to give Manitoba a 22-21 lead, and Almonte put one through the Wesmen seam to give the Herd their 23^rd point, but Winnipeg responded.
 
Duncalfe put down her seventh kill of the night to end the first, as Winnipeg kept multiple long rallies alive, many due to libero Taylor Cangemi, who had 19 digs.
 
The hosts dictated play in set two, winning by ten. They hit .455 with just three errors, with Surinx, Catojo, Bedosky and Almonte all recording at least one kill. Bethany Carter also came off the bench and made an instant impact with three of Manitoba's first four kills, and Surinx ended the set with a blast off hands.
 
The Wesmen refused to let the ball die in the third, with Cangemi leading the charge once more. She had 12 digs entering the third as the visitors opened up a lead as large as nine.
 
Manitoba battled back, cutting the lead to four thanks to an Almonte kill through a double block, but the Wesmen had the answer courtesy of Duncalfe, who ended the third with her 17th kill of the game.
 
Manitoba had just one error through the first 15 points in set four, surging to a seven-point lead that they never relinquished.
 
Setter Julia Martens distributed the ball brilliantly, running the middle early courtesy of Bedosky for the first point of the game, and later Catojo, and she got in on the act with a kill later in in the set.
 
Winnipeg got as close as one late, but the hosts denied any form of a comeback. Martens and Surinx sprawled to keep rallies alive, and Almonte and Surinx went cross and line, respectively for kills with the score 20-18 and 20-19.
 
Winnipeg led 11-6 in the fifth, but Manitoba pushed back, with Surinx and Siebenga racking up critical digs to keep their side alive. Almonte and Surinx went off hands for critical kills as the Bisons tied the game at 14, but Winnipeg refused to be denied.
 
Duncalfe's 27^th kill ended an extremely long rally and a Grace Vallis ace ended the game.