Box Score Box Score

The sixth-ranked University of Manitoba women's volleyball team took a three-set victory over the Regina Cougars on Saturday night in a Canada West match at the Centre for Kinesiology, Health & Sport.

The Bisons opened up significant early advantages in the first and second sets and won both by 25-17 margins to take a 2-0 stranglehold on the match. The Cougars showed signs of life in the third – even taking a late lead after having trailed by four points earlier in the set – but Manitoba got back-to-back kills from Kristi Hunter and Tricia Mayba to turn a 24-24 tie into a match-clinching 26-24 victory.

Manitoba first-year setter Christina Souza was all over the stat line on Saturday, ending up with 27 assists, six digs, five kills, and four blocks. Mariel Garcia had five kills on just six attacks, while Crystal Mulder had nine kills and Mayba and Hunter each had eight. Mayba added a match-high seven blocks for the Bisons.

Meagan Onstad had eight kills and 12 digs for the Cougars, while libero Rebecca Rink tied Manitoba's Nicole Hall for the match high with 13 digs.

Manitoba (9-3) will head to the West Coast to face UBC next weekend, while the Cougars (2-12) will have a weekend off before facing conference newcomer UBC Okanagan on Jan. 27 and Jan. 28 in Kelowna, B.C.