Versatile Bisons sweep MacEwan for second straight game, 3-0

WINNIPEG – The Manitoba Bisons hit .432 as a team, surging past MacEwan 3-0 in a game where the Herd’s depth shone.
 
Every player on Manitoba’s roster had a kill, led by 13 from true freshman Owen Weekes, who had a career-high .600 hitting percentage. Setter Sammy Ludwig added 36 assists and two kills in the win.
 
The Griffins had the services of leading attacking Mitchell Croft, as the 6’9″ rookie from Australia did not play yesterday, and the difference was clear.
 
The team’s leading attacker recorded a team-high 12 kills, three assisted blocks and three digs in the loss, but the Griffins hit just .149 overall.
 
Meanwhile, Ludwig frequently find the open player, with Weekes, Karil Dadash Adeh and Jordon Heppner all hitting at least .400 with a minimum of eight kills.
 
The versatile showing was a microcosm of Manitoba’s season offensively. Weekes, Dadash Adeh, captain Spencer Grahame and left side Kai Boyko all have at least 100 kills this season.
 
“It’s the best, it’s so fun to have literally anybody on the bench step on the court and have that trust in them,” said Ludwig.
 
“I know that if I give them a ball, they’re going to be able to kill it, and they’ll be able to pass a good ball.”
 
Like it’s been all season, Manitoba generated momentum from their service pressure. The top two players in Canada at the line, Dadash Adeh and Heppner, combined for six aces, including three through the first two sets.
 
The Griffins had their best set of the match in the third. They went attack-for-attack, led by Croft, who had six kills overall.
 
The Griffins led 17-13 following a Croft kill from behind the attacking line where he beat a triple block, but the Bisons pushed back.
 
Back-to-back Weekes aces gave Manitoba an 18 and then 19-17 lead, and Heppner hooked a kill over a double block to the line right after.
 
Serving sub Ethan Hildebrand then ended the match at the line, putting down Manitoba’s tenth ace with a tear drop smash. Over the two games, the Bisons amassed 21 aces.
 
Manitoba finished the regular season at 9-11, and will await the results of next week’s games to see if they finish in seventh or eighth. They will host a play-in series regardless. The Griffins fell to 1-17.