WINNIPEG - The Bobcats women's volleyball team picked up an important 3-1 (17-25, 25-17, 25-11, 28-26) win over the host Manitoba Bisons Friday night, thanks in large part to the play of one of the team's captains.

Entering Friday's match just one ace shy of the Canada West all-time record for career aces, Winnipeg product Shanlee McLennan got the one ace she needed to tie the record, but also set a another Brandon University women's volleyball school record in the process.

McLennan finished with a match-high 23 kills, breaking the previous record set by Ashley Creighton, who put up 21 kills back in November of 2008. Creighton's performance also came against Manitoba.

What's also impressive about McLennan's performance is that she recorded just one error on 49 swings, good for a .449 attack efficiency.

This is the second school record setting performance for McLennan in the past two weeks. On January 30 she set the BU school record for most aces in a match with eight.

In the first set of tonight's contest the Bisons looked strong. Almost every Manitoba player on the court recorded a kill in the set, but momentum won it for the Bisons. After an impressive showing through the first few rallies, the home side broke an 11-11 tie and recorded eight points in 10 rallies. The Bisons put up another streak at the end of the set, which included two kills from Sarah Klassen, to take the first 25-17. 

But careless mistakes quickly cost Manitoba the lead in the second. The Bisons struggled to cover the court and respond to forceful attacks from McLennan and Jodie Baker. Manitoba tied the game at six with a kill from Angelica Kilberg, but the Bobcats responded and won the next five rallies. Brandon carried the lead through the rest of the set, winning the second 25-17.

Brandon kept their momentum going into the third. The Bobcats dominated the set and only gave up consecutive rallies (one on a bad set and another on a Kalena Schulz service ace) once before the technical timeout. The strong Brandon defense held the Bisons to only four points in the second half of the set, while the Bobcats claimed the fourth 25-11.

The Bisons turned the game around in the fourth. The home side took an early lead, thanks to strong attacks from the front line and two straight service aces from Allison Alcock. Manitoba held on to their advantage, despite losing one of their strongest middles. Kilberg left the game midway through the fourth with a lower-body injury and did not return. 

But the Bobcats battled back after the technical timeout and sent the Bisons scrambling. Brandon won six rallies after the technical timeout to tie the game at 22. The teams tied again at 24, 25 and 26 before the Bobcats won the set 28-26 and the game 3-1.

The Bisons are now 2-19, while the Bobcats extended their win streak to nine games and are now 12-9.

The teams will face off again on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. at Investors Group Athletic Centre.