WINNIPEG - The third-ranked Manitoba Bisons women's volleyball team opened the Canada West conference quarter final with a spirited 3-1 (25-18, 27-25, 15-25, 25-15) win over the number six ranked Calgary Dinos Friday at the Investors Group Athletic Centre.

BOX SCORE

The win gives the Bisons a 1-0 lead in the best of three series with the Dinos.

"This was a tough loss, and the second set was probably the turning point," said Calgary head coach Jesse Knight. "Manitoba played very well offensively tonight, and we just need to minimize our errors. We made more than they did, and they gained confidence from that."

The loss puts the Dinos on the brink of elimination and in danger of missing the CIS championship for the first time since 2001.

Third-year Bisons player Tricia Mayba led the game in kills with 12, while team mate Kate Wasyliw picked up 11 of her own. Bisons setter Sam Loewen also had 35 assists in the game, compared to the Dinos Sarah Lacny's 28.

Lindsey Doland, Laura Spence, and Ali Sandholm each posted eight kills to lead the way for the Dinos.

The Bisons opened their Canada West conference quarterfinal with a flurry, picking up five of the first seven points, and Kristi Hunter picked up two kills to bring the Bisons lead to 8-3 at the first technical timeout. But the Dinos fought their way back into the set, going on an 11-6 run to tie the game at 14, before the Bisons got back on track, picking up five of the next six points. Mayba then sealed the set for the Bisons with her fourth kill of the set, giving the Bisons a 25-18 first set win.

The second set was a constant battle for the lead, as the Dinos jumped out to a quick 6-2 lead, but had to hold the Bisons off to maintain an 8-7 lead at the first technical. The Bisons then outscored the Dinos 9-3 to take a 16-11 lead into the next technical timeout.  But the Dinos didn't go away, tying the game at 19 only a short time later. With the set tied at 25, the Dinos were called on a double-hit giving the Bisons a 26-25 lead, and Knight had a yellow card issued to him for questioning the call on the floor. The card gave the Bisons a 27-25 second set victory, and a chance to close it out in the third.

Prior to the third set beginning, Dinos head coach Knight was given a red card and was ejected from the set, but this seemed to spark the Dinos. After fighting for an 8-7 lead at the first technical timeout, the Dinos lead kept increasing, despite Bisons coach Ken Bentley's timeouts, which he called when the Dinos had leads of 18-13 and 21-14. The Bisons weren't able to complete the sweep, as the Dinos picked up a 25-15 win in the third set, powered by Maura Hayes' three service aces.

The Bisons were out for redemption in the fourth set after the Dinos won the third. The Bisons were up 8-4 at the first technical timeout, and just like the Dinos did in the previous set, the Bisons kept increasing their lead. It grew to five points at the second technical, and by the end of the set it was 10. The Bisons were able to take the fourth and final set 25-15.

Match two in the series goes tomorrow night at the Investors Group Athletic Centre at 7 p.m. CT. If a third and deciding game is needed, that game will be played on Sunday, February 21, at 2 p.m. CT.

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