WINNIPEG – No. 1 Trinity Western Spartans continued their winning streak with a 3-1 (27-25, 25-20, 22-25, 25-20) win over No. 9 University of Manitoba Bisons Saturday at Investors Group Athletic Centre.

Setter Adam Schriemer (Winnipeg) had a career-high 56 assists to lead the Spartans to their 11th straight win and help TWU improve its record to 15-1. Manitoba sees their record fall to 6-10.

Eric Loeppky (Steinbach, Man.) got 21 kills for the Spartans, while the Bisons Scott Vercaigne had 18 kills.

TWU wasted no time stacking up points at the start of the fourth set, but the home team didn't sleep on it and fought back to make the game return to a point-for-point battle.

Much like other sets, near the end of the fourth the Spartans pulled ahead, forcing the home team to concentrate on a come-from-behind defeat. A spike down on the left side by Pearson Eshenko (Banff, Alta.) put TWU within two points of match point, at 23-19.

Jacob Kern (Edmonton) sent his attack off the Manitoba block and out, pushing TWU within one point of ending the night. An error from the Herd gave the Spartans the winning point.

Along with Loeppky, it was Kern, with 16 kills, and Jesse Elser (Calgary), with 14 kills, helping lead the offence. Setter Adam Schriemer (Winnipeg)

After a tight first set, a serve error by TWU tied the set at 24-24. Then, a blocking miscue by Manitoba's Dylan Sutherland and Brendan Warren went out of bounds, putting TWU up 26-25. A TWU block gave the Spartans the opening set.

At the midway point of the second set, the Spartans took control, grabbing a 21-18 lead thanks to a series of strategic dumps and kills that stymied the home team. Continuing until set point, a back-pocket spike by Eshenko put the Spartans within set point and a kill by Loeppky right down centre court cemented the set victory for the visitors.

In the third, neither team was able to pull ahead by more than two points early on.

Sharp and deliberate plays led the Spartans to a lead halfway through the set, but the Bisons kept fighting to try and push the game to a fourth set. As the score crept closer to set point, the Herd took a 23-20 lead, distancing themselves from the Spartans.

With a back pocket kill, Kern attempted to bring the Spartans back, but a serve error brought the Herd within one of set point, at 24-22. A TWU attacking error led the Bisons to set point.

QUOTABLE
Head Coach Ben Josephson
"It was a really interesting battle. We played well, but we really couldn't separate from them. Looking back at the numbers, it makes sense why. Manitoba played so clean. They made us earn every point. They served under control and they didn't make many attacking errors. They just made it really hard on us and we had to be sharp the whole night. We gave up a 10-2 run in the third set, when I thought we had that under control but we flinched and they made some great plays. They have these two fifth-year left side players – Adam DeJonckheere and Scott Vercaigne – and they are just handfuls and were really hard to contain.

"Anytime you play them is special and anytime you get to compete against (Bisons coach) Garth (Pischke), it's special. The history and importance of what he meant to the Canadian volleyball landscape is not lost on me or our team and we are always honoured to share the court with him and his team."

NOTABLE
• Schriemer's previous career high was 53 assists, which he had earned twice, including in last Saturday's five-set win over Winnipeg.
• The Spartans also knocked off Manitoba in four sets Friday night.
• TWU's only loss this season was a five-set defeat on the road against Brandon Nov. 10.
• Including preseason, TWU is 28-1 in 2017-18.

NEXT UP
TWU returns home to play Regina Jan. 19-20 at the Langley Events Centre.

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