Box Score

The No. 6-ranked Manitoba Bisons pulled out a four-set win over the University of Regina on Saturday night in Canada West women's volleyball action at the Centre for Kinesiology, Health & Sport, snapping the Cougars' five-match winning streak.

The Bisons won the first two sets by scores of 25-22 and 25-18 before dropping a prolonged third set by a 32-30 count. Manitoba recovered with a 25-20 win in the fourth to claim the match and improve to 11-7 on the season.

Rachel Cockrell, Jordana Milne, and Crystal Mulder each had 13 kills to lead Manitoba, which hit .255 as a team in the win. Brittany Habing dished out 50 assists and added 10 digs for a double-double, while libero Caleigh Dobie led all players with 22 digs – the most recorded by a Bison player in a single match this season.

Desiree Ates led the Cougars with 22 kills and also had a team-high 17 digs to notch one of the U of R's three double-doubles in the match. Leah Shevkenek (50 assists, 13 digs) and Tori Glynn (12 kills, 13 digs) also had double-doubles, while libero Megan Semeniuk had 16 digs and Michelle Sweeting had 14 kills and just three errors to finish with a team-leading .379 hitting percentage.

The first set saw Manitoba jump out to a 20-9 lead, but the Cougars went on an impressive 13-4 run behind the serving of Sweeting and Chelsea Ziolkowksi to get to within two. But though Regina shook off five consecutive set points, the Cougars weren't able to escape the sixth as Manitoba substitute Mariel Garcia ended it with a kill off the block from the left side. The Cougars held a slim lead for the first part of the second set until five straight points for Manitoba gave the visitors the lead. Manitoba had a 24-12 lead after back-to-back Mulder aces and the Cougars again put together a run while facing multiple set points, but the Bisons eventually pulled out a 25-18 win capped by a Cockrell kill.

Manitoba led for much of the third but unlike the previous two sets, the Cougars drew even with the Bisons at 23-23 after a 6-1 run. Regina escaped four match points and pulled into the lead at 28-27 after a Manitoba hitting error, but it took the Cougars four match points before an ace by Shevkenek finally gave the home side a 32-30 win.

Manitoba never trailed in the fourth set and put the match away with five consecutive points to break a 20-20 deadlock. Cockrell's service ace – one of five for Manitoba on the night – gave the Bisons a 25-20 win and their 11th Canada West victory of the season.

The Bisons come out of the weekend the same way they entered it – tied for fourth place in the Canada West standings with UBC Okanagan. And it'll be those two teams matching up against each other next weekend in Winnipeg before Manitoba closes out the season against Thompson Rivers in Kamloops, B.C. on Feb. 7 and Feb. 8.

The Cougars also remain in the same place in the conference standings, tied with Saskatchewan for the seventh and final postseason berth but ahead of the Huskies based on the sets won/sets lost tiebreaker. Regina is back at home against Thompson Rivers (0-18) next Friday and Saturday and will play UBC Okanagan twice the following weekend in Kelowna, B.C.