Archie Golding
Andrew Snucins
3
Winner Manitoba Bisons MAN 0-0,0-0
2
Thompson Rivers University TRU 0-0,0-0
Winner
Manitoba Bisons MAN
0-0,0-0
3
Final
2
Thompson Rivers University TRU
0-0,0-0
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 5 F
Manitoba Bisons MAN 26 23 25 23 15 (3)
Thompson Rivers University TRU 24 25 18 25 8 (2)

Game Recap: Men's Volleyball | | TRU WolfPack

Bisons outlast WolfPack in five set fight

QUICK FIRE
  • It went all the way to the fifth set but the Thompson Rivers WolfPack men's volleyball team came up just shy in their pursuit of a win in a 3-2 (26-24, 23-25, 25-18, 23-25, 15-8) loss to the Manitoba Bisons.
 
DIFFERENCE MAKERS
  • Sam Flowerday put down a game-high 18 kills on 49 attempts. Matthew Hamilton added nine, while Sam Elgert finished with 43 assists and a pair of service aces.
  • Spencer Grahame put down a team-high 15 kills while hitting .520 per cent for Manitoba. Ben Carleton added 13 kills while Sammy Ludwig had 36 assists.
  • A major difference in the game came at the block where Manitoba carried a 17-8 advantage.

HOW IT HAPPENED
  • Carleton for Manitoba and Flowerday for TRU both had five kills in the first set but it was the visitors that found a way to win in the clutch. A kill from Archie Golding gave TRU a pair of set points at 24-22 but a Carleton swing and a solo block from Jordan Heppner allowed the Bisons to tie things up. Heppner and Ludwig combined for yet another block to put the finishing touches on the set at 26-24.
  • TRU responded in the second and a block courtesy of Corbin Ockerman and Rylan Ibbetson gave the 'Pack an early 5-1 advantage. The Bisons found an answer however and an ace from Carleton at 20-19 gave Manitoba their first lead of the set. From there middles Gavin Margerison and Ockerman came up with big kills to allow a Flowerday ace to end the set at 25-23.
  • The third set belonged to the Bisons. Manitoba hit .476 per cent as team in the frame and put down five blocks to run away with the win 25-18. Grahame led the way with four kills.
  • TRU held off a Manitoba comeback effort to take the fourth set and force a fifth. Matthew Hamilton fired in three kills early as TRU jumped out to a 17-11 lead in the frame. That was quickly followed by a 9-2 Bisons run of their own led by Grahame and Harrison Ens to give Manitoba a 20-19 edge. With momentum flipping sides once again the 'Pack were able to take the win off a Flowerday kill at 25-23.
  • Manitoba dominated the fifth set to take the match, mainly due to a .294 to -.038 edge in hitting percentage. A Carleton kill gave Manitoba a lead at 8-3 and they wouldn't look back en route to the 15-8 victory.

NOTABLE
  • The match was the fourth time in nine games this season that the 'Pack have gone to five sets.
  • TRU is now 4-5 on the season.
QUOTABLE – WolfPack head coach Pat Hennelly.
  • "I didn't like our energy throughout the whole match. Credit to Manitoba they put on a defensive performance, dug alot of big balls and we haven't been blocked like that all year." 
  • "It just seemed like we were a step behind in almost everything and Manitoba played well, they're a young physical team and it was tough. I give credit to our guys for grinding it out in the fourth but we fell short again. It's disappointing because we've had better performances on the road so now we have to look at our preparation.
  • "We have to be little bit looser at the service line tomorrow, we just seemed tight. Some of our top serving guys just didn't produce and again Manitoba passed the ball well but we have to take them out of their comfort zone and I don't think we did that all night."
UP NEXT
  • These teams are scheduled to do battle again tomorrow with a scheduled first serve of 4:45 p.m. inside the TCC.
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