The University of Winnipeg Wesmen men’s volleyball team ended their losing streak on Saturday night (Nov. 20) against the University of Saskatchewan Huskies on home turf.

After losing to the Huskies in four sets the night before, Winnipeg rebounded back to claim their first win of the regular season on Saturday. They dominated the Huskies in three sets: 25-23, 25-23, 25-15. 

Wesmen first-year Dominique Pereira commented that everyone played well on Saturday night to help claim the win.

“Our team played well as a unit defensively and offensively,” he said. “We kept a high level of play consistently throughout the match.”

The Huskies started out strong on Saturday and led at the first technical timeout of the first set, 8-7. The score stayed close, but the Wesmen had the lead by the second technical timeout, 16-15.

For the rest of the set the score went back and forth, until the Wesmen took a 24-21 lead. Saskatchewan managed to keep the set alive for two more points, but they could not answer Ty Loewen’s kill, and Winnipeg won 25-23.

“ Staying together and believing we have enough talent to win in this league helped us find a way Saturday night.

Dan Lother, captain, Wesmen men’s volleyball

Winnipeg carried the momentum into the second set. They led at both the first and second technical timeouts, 8-7 and 16-15. The Wesmen went up 24-22 with a kill from Matt Dueck, but the Huskies scored and won back the serve.

Fortunately for Winnipeg, a missed serve by the Huskies gave Winnipeg the 25-23 win. 

Heading into the third set, up 2-0, Winnipeg took control of the match. Leading 8-3 at the first technical timeout, and 16-10 at the second, the Wesmen dominated the Huskies. They only allowed Saskatchewan five more points, and Winnipeg won the final set, 25-15.

For fifth-year captain Dan Lother, the weekend was an important lesson for the Wesmen.

“Staying together and believing we have enough talent to win in this league helped us find a way Saturday night,” he noted.

Winnipeg was led by Mark Ross, who had 13 kills and two service aces, and Nathaniel Therrien, who came up with 11 defensive digs. Additionally, Wesmen rookies Ty Loewen and Tom Douglas-Powell had seven kills each on the night.

Published in Volume 65, Number 13 of The Uniter (November 25, 2010)