January 27 - It took four sets to get there, but the University of Manitoba Bisons mens volleyball team got its game together. The Bisons defeated the Thompson Rivers Wolfpack 3-1 (22-25, 25-23, 25-17, 25-16) Saturday night at Investors Group Athletic Centre, just one night after falling to the same Pack.

Josh Klassen led the ‘Zoons in kills with 18, but Matt Balchin (15) and Toon van Lankvelt (13) were not far behind. Kyle Joslin had 49 assists on the night, while Balchin topped the diggers with 10 in the outing which started sloppy but ended in celebration.

The Bisons had the lead only twice in the first set, falling at the hands of their own defensive problems. They went into the second with more drive, but got behind early again at the hands of Robin Schoebel and Troy Jaggard.

Despite some solid swinging by van Lankvelt and Nathan Toews and some clinch dig-work by Matt Balchin, the Manitoba couldn’t quite catch enough momentum to hold a consistent lead and were stymied by their own service errors and lagging defence until the last moments of the set.

Balchin fired up his offence when the teams hit the twenties and Manitoba nabbed its first lead at the 23-22 mark. A service error by the Pack gave the ‘Zoons a chance for the win, and Balchin hammered a hard hit onto centre court to seal the deal, 25-23.

The Bisons took their revamped offence into the third and – for the first time on the night – held a lead at the first technical. Their unnerving of the Thompson Rivers defence allowed the homeside a two-point jump at the break – and that only grew.

van Lankvelt, Toews, Balchin and Klassen pumped up the offence and destroyed the Wolfpack’s defence, spreading their lead to five points at the second technical. Klassen all but dominated the second half of the set and helped hand Manitoba the 25-17 win.

After a slow start to the fourth, Balchin, Klassen and van Lankvelt got swinging at full force again and had the ‘Zoons at a two-point lead come the first technical. Manitoba’s defensive game came out on top leading into the second T.O. and the four-point lead only grew.

Manitoba had a nine-point lead by the end of the game and got the game in hand on a service error by the Wolves, who go home with one half of the weekend victories.

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