The No. 1 ranked University of Manitoba Bisons rolled off a straight game victory on Saturday night, defeating the Simon Fraser University Clan women’s volleyball team 3-0 (25-16, 25-17, 25-11). With the win the Bisons improve to 7-1 on the season, while the loss drops the Clan to 0-7.

Manitoba jumped out to an early lead in the first game, leading 8-4 at the first break in play and 16-9 at the second. SFU however battled back, rallying to close within two points at 18-16 on a kill by Krystyna Adams (Richmond, B.C.). That was the last point Manitoba allowed in the game, rattling off seven straight points on seven Sabrina Barnes serves, winning the game on an attack error from Nikolina Milkovich (Burnaby, B.C.) 25-16.

The second game was hotly contested until the second break, when the Bisons began to pull away. Second year setter Samantha Loewen (East St. Paul, MB) took over the game in the final moments, first picking up key kills during a mid-game run and then closing the game on two straight aces to the back corner of the court to win the second 25-17.

The teams traded points to start the third, however with the game tied at 6-6 the Bisons again pulled away. Taking advantage of multiple Clan attack errors, Manitoba opened a 16-9 lead at the second break, and rolled to a 25-11 game victory on a kill by Sarah Morrissette (Winnipeg, MB) to win the match 3-0.

Morrissette and Barnes each had nine kills to lead the Bisons, while Loewen had a game high 20 set assists. Barnes led her team with six digs.

For the Clan, Adams had a team high five kills, while Hope Wirll (Regina, SK) had 13 set assists. With starting libero Laura Mireault sidelined with injury, Jennifer Northrup (Surrey, B.C.) led SFU with nine digs.

Next weekend the Clan travel to Winnipeg to battle the Wesmen, while the Bisons host the University of Calgary.