Bisons host MacEwan with playoff positioning at stake during seniors weekend

It’s a special weekend at IGAC, as the men’s and women’s volleyball teams host MacEwan.

On the women’s side, the program will honour graduating seniors Light Uchechukwu, Julia Arnold, Katreena Bentley, Julia Horne and Chloe Ellerbrock as part of seniors night on Saturday. On the court, both the men and women are battling for playoff positioning. 

Men’s preview 
On the men’s side, the ‘Zoons enter play at 7-11, in eighth in the Canada West standings. If the season ended today, they would host a play-in series from February 20-22, and they’re looking to keep momentum going against a 1-15 Griffins side. 

Despite their record, GMU has plenty of firepower. Notably, 6-foot-9 Australian outside hitter Mitchell Croft is only one kill shy of the program record for the most kills in a Canada West season by a Griffins rookie. He enters the weekend series with 206, trailing Ryan Zachary’s 207, set in 2017-18. His current kills/set average of 3.75 (third in Canada West) is on pace to smash Zachary’s program rookie record of 2.41.

Manitoba also has a dynamic rookie on their side in Owen Weekes. Formerly a right side, the 6’7″ Weekes shifted to left side for the second half of the campaign, and has started every game since, amassing 75 kills and eight service aces since January. On the year, he has 103 kills, one of four Bisons to go over 100 on the season. 

As a team, Manitoba’s success has come from their service pressure and block defence. They lead the nation with 163 service aces, while their 153 total blocks are third in the country. Karil Dadash Adeh and Jordon Heppner are 1-2 in the nation, with 48 and 36 aces, respectively, while middle Jonah Dueck’s 1.06 blocks per set is second in Canada West. 

Women’s preview 
Winners of 12 straight games, the Bisons are one of the hottest teams in the country, and they’ll aim to continue their success against the 2-14 Griffins. Manitoba is currently second in Canada West with a 14-4 record. 

Their success has come by committee. Reigning U SPORTS Player of the Year Raya Surinx leads the nation in kills (271) and kills per set (4.84), despite playing in two less games than her counterparts. Meanwhile, middle Eve Catojo’s hitting percentage of .434 is tops in the nation, with fellow middle Brenna Bedosky right behind, at .364, fourth in Canada.

Meanwhile, setter Katreena Bentley — playing in her final regular season home weekend as a Bison — leads U SPORTS with 686 assists and 10.39 assists per set. Step-sister, fellow senior and long-time teammate Julia Arnold is also fourth in U SPORTS and first in Canada West with 239 digs. 

The Griffins counter with a veteran core, including setter Payton Shimoda. The Griffins’ setter enters the weekend with 1,985 career assists, and needs just 15 to become the second setter in the program’s Canada West era to reach 2,000. From there, she only needs 11 more (so, 26 total this weekend) to pass Claire McLoughlin (2015-18) for the program career assists record.