Emma Parker and Ashleigh Laube both had double-doubles in kills and digs Friday, but it wasn't enough as the Winnipeg Wesmen women's volleyball team dropped its Canada West conference opener in Regina.

Ashlee Sandiford had a match-high 19 kills and the host Cougars prevailed in a 3-1 (25-21, 25-17, 22-25, 25-13) decision in the season-opening match for both teams.

Parker and Laube led the way for Winnipeg with 11 kills apiece. Parker and libero Madison Fyvie led four Wesmen players in double-digit digs with 16, while Laube tied a career-high with 15 and Kalena Schulz added 10. It was Parker's fifth career double-double and the fourth for Laube. 

Setter Rylie Dickson had five block assists to lead the Wesmen in that category. 

The teams played side-out volleyball for the early portions of the first set and the Wesmen eventually took an 11-8 lead on a kill by Parker. Regina, however, would bounce back winning six of the next seven points to take a 14-12 lead. The Wesmen pulled even again at 21, but a four-point run from the Cougars closed the set.

The Wesmen were able to take the third set, jumping out to an early 4-1 lead before the Cougars rallied with seven straight points to go ahead 8-4. The Wesmen trailed by as many as six in the third, before winning eight of the next 11 points to close the gap to 12-11. The Wesmen had a burst late in the set, winning six of eight points to go ahead 21-19 before eventually closing out the set.

In the fourth, Winnipeg got behind early and trailed 16-9 at the technical timeout.

The two teams will close the season-opening doubleheader Saturday night (8 p.m.) before the Wesmen return home for their Duckworth Centre debut for 2018-19 Nov. 2-3 against UBC-Okanagan.

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