WINNIPEG – The Bisons men’s volleyball team made an enormous statement on Saturday night at IGAC, sweeping the No. 5 nationally ranked Trinity Western Spartans 3-0 for the second game in a row (25-16, 25-22, 25-23).
It’s the first time in 25 years that the Herd have swept TWU 3-0 in back-to-back games and just the second time it’s occurred overall against Trinity. It’s also the first series sweep of the season for Manitoba, and their first sweep against Trinity in 12 years.
The win improved Manitoba’s record to 6-6, right in the thick of a home playoff series, six points shy of Saskatchewan for fourth. The Spartans fell to 7-5, and are just one game ahead of the ‘Zoons for fifth in Canada West.
As has been the case all season, the Bisons’ success began at the service line.
The nation’s best team from the back line with 111 aces and 2.47 aces per set, Manitoba racked up nine more on Saturday, compared to just two for TWU, who also had 15 service errors.
“We practiced all summer long, two to three times a week. We had at least 45 minutes of serving,” said Bisons head coach Arnd ‘Lupo’ Ludwig.
“Everybody was there. We did a bunch of different drills, serving as hard as you can. We didn’t worry about the outcome. We served to a number of different areas, we did a lot of serving during that time. It’s paid off.”
Right side Karil Dadash Adeh and middle Jordon Heppner, first and second in the country with 33 and 27 aces, respectively, combined for six, while captain Spencer Grahame added two and true freshman Owen Weekes contributed one.
“When I was in high school, every single kid thought Trinity Western was the school to go to. Being able to do this on our home floor, and sweep them, the group showed so much connectivity the entire game,” added Heppner, Manitoba’s Player of the Game.
“We were making the shots that we’ve practiced, and that’s the first time I’ve ever really seen that, making the shots that we practice every single day, consistently. We also served them off the floor, which is one of our strengths. In my first year, it was a lot of mind games when it came to the service line. Being able to just focus on yourself and not the guy in front of you, keeping the pressure on and hitting the ball hard, keeping the strength of the serve has been key.”
Manitoba’s service pressure helped them press the issue on the block, as the Herd had 20 assisted blocks, seven coming from Heppner. Offensively, Dadash Adeh, Weekes and Grahame combined for 23 kills.
Two kills from Piers De Greeff and one from Devin Hofsink gave TWU an early three-point lead in the first, but Manitoba responded at the service line.
Weekes and Dadash Adeh both put down aces, while the Spartans had eight service errors as Manitoba erupted to a 16-10 lead and took the first set by nine.
The hosts were the more physical team all throughout the set. Heppner denied TWU at the net with a solo block late, and Weekes ended things on a smash from the back row.
Dadash Adeh blasted three straight aces at the start of the second, as Manitoba took an early lead and held off TWU down the stretch, 25-22.
Anselm Rein had an ace of his own for TWU, and the Spartans tied the game at 22 on De Greeff’s 12th kill, a blast off hands from the right, but errors cost the visitors late.
Trinity had 14 serving errors after two, while Manitoba continued to dominate from the back line.
Weekes went on a serving run in the final five points, adding two incredible cross court kills from the left as part of a three-point set win.
An early third set ace from Grahame helped the hosts to a three-point lead early, with Heppner blasting back-to-back aces later on to open up another three-point lead, 17-14.
Trinity pushed back however, taking a 22-20 lead on a block from Cory Schoenherr. But when they needed it, Manitoba’s serving came up clutch again.
A Grahame blast off hands helped the Herd get a side out, and a Dadash Adeh smash from the back line resulted in a TWU error to tie the game.
Trinity took a 23-22 lead on a Kaden Schmidt kill, one of ten in the game, but Grahame had the response. A Dadash Adeh kill put Manitoba’s captain at the service line, and he confidently ripped the Herd’s ninth and final ace for a 24-23 lead.
Match point was a thriller, as Bisons libero Josh Jehle dove with one hand to save the rally, while Weekes also got his mitts up to deny TWU at the net. The ball eventually landed back with Weekes, who ended the game from the left side.
“My serving started off a little bit slow, but as the game went along I decided to use a couple of different techniques,” reflected Heppner.
“I tossed a short one in there and that was a great ace, a great momentum change for the [third] set. I think that was key. I have to give credit to my boy Karil. He’s the best server in the country. When he’s at the service line we try to keep him back there, and make sure we get a block.”
Up next for Manitoba is a huge battle against 6-6 UBC Okanagan on the road next weekend.
“We can’t sit back now. We had a really great pre-season and still didn’t show up in the first half of the season. We can’t forget that. We need to get back on the court on Monday and keep working,” said Ludwig.
“UBCO is doing really well this year too. They are ahead of us in the standings.”