BRANDON – The Brandon Bobcats picked up a come from behind 3-2 (25-27, 25-17, 22-25, 25-21, 15-7) win Friday night over the MacEwan Griffins to remain perfect in 2016. It wasn't easy for the 'Cats, as the upstart Griffins battled hard until the fifth set, but Brandon prevailed for the important win.
The 'Cats now have the Canada West conference's longest current winning streak in women's volleyball, and have the chance to put up the program's first perfect semester in history with a win Saturday.
The Bobcats stumbled out of the gate and in the third set. MacEwan dressed only nine players in the match, and when Brandon gave the Griffins the chance to steal points they did exactly that.
The Griffins were close to snapping the win streak, getting to within one point at 22-21 late in the fourth set, but Brandon close the set and the match by going back to what's worked over the last month and a half, tough serving and big blocks.
Three Bobcats finished in double-digit kills, while five finished in double-digit digs. Led by fifth-year left-side
Shanlee McLennan who put up 13 kills and 13 digs.
Breanne Sytnyk had 12 kills, while
Jodie Baker had 11 kills to go with 10 digs.
Gillian Leech had 17 digs, while
Donata Huebert had 15.
Nikki Majewski had 47 assists, 13 digs and three aces.
Cassidy Kinsella had a match-high 20 kills in the loss for the Griffins to go with 14 digs, while Kate Rozendaal had 11 kills and 13 digs. Karly Edgar had a match-high 25 digs while Claire McLoughlin had 44 assists.
"Every time you get into a pressure situation like a fifth-set and come out and play well it helps the confidence," says Bobcats coach
Lee Carter.
The win moves the Bobcats to 14-9 on the season, and gives Brandon sole possession of fifth place in the conference standings. The loss is the Griffins' third in a row as they now sit with a record of 7-16.
The two teams will close out the Canada West conference season on Saturday, as the two teams play their final regular season match at the Brandon University Healthy Living Centre.
