WINNIPEG, MB - With a pair of wins over Mount Royal under their belt, the Manitoba Bison women's volleyball team returned home for the first time since the holiday break looking to knock off Canada's top team, the Alberta Pandas, on Friday, January 16 at the Investors Group Athletic Centre.

It was the Pandas, though, who looked thoroughly dominant, cruising to a straight set win over the defending CIS champion Bisons (25-11, 25-13, 25-21).

"We didn't pass well, we didn't defend well, they just took it to us and we didn't provide much resistance tonight," said Bison head coach Ken Bentley. "Every phase of our game has to be better tomorrow."

"But you know, to be fair to this team, this is just the second match all year where we got flat out beat. This has been the exception to the rule."

In a losing effort, Manitoba got 13 kills and 13 digs from Rachel Cockrell. Jordana Milne added six kills. Alberta, meanwhile, got good outings from Meg Casault, who had 12 kills, and Josephine Doerfler, who had 11.

With seven games remaining in the season, the Bisons are 8-9 and hanging on to the seventh and final Canada West playoff seed, with three schools (including crosstown rival Winnipeg) breathing down their neck. Alberta, the second seed, improves to 14-3.

To get the win, the Pandas got three significant runs in all three sets.

In the first, outside hitter Doerfler put up seven straight points behind the line, working the Bisons with a dynamic float serve for the 25-11 set win.

In the second, after falling behind, Alberta went on a wild run in the middle of the set, going from two down to up 20-13. Casault had five kills in the set and the Pandas were able to win by double digits again, 25-14.

In the third, Manitoba showed the most fight, but it was a six point spurt that took the Pandas from down four to up 22-20. They would take three of the next four points to win the set 25-21 and shut it down early.

The Bison women's volleyball team will play the second of their back-to-back with Alberta on Saturday, January 17 at 5 p.m. CST.

Written by: John Gaudes