DAVID LARKINS, Wesmen Athletics

The Winnipeg Wesmen did themselves a favour Friday and did so at the expense of their fiercest rivals.

Taylor Cangemi had a career-high 25 digs and the Wesmen women's volleyball team scored three points to rip a fourth-set victory out of what looked like inevitable defeat to drop the Manitoba Bisons 3-1 (25-18, 18-25, 25-21, 25-23) in a Canada West conference women's volleyball match at the Duckworth Centre.

The win improved Winnipeg's record to 6-6 on the season and into second place in the East Division, while Manitoba fell to 3-9 with its fourth straight loss and ninth in its last 10 outings. It was the third win in the past four matches for the Wesmen.

Cangemi accounted for more than a quarter of the team's season-high 97 digs in a clash between two of the nation's top defensive teams. 

The Bisons lead the nation in digs (858) while the Wesmen are tops in the country in digs per set (17.24) after Friday's performance. The Bisons got 25 digs from Jordan Hamm and had 104 as a team, their highest total since recording 112 in a five-setter versus Winnipeg, Feb. 2, 2019. 

Ashleigh Laube continued her impressive play in 2022 with 18 kills and a season-high 19 digs. Emma Parker added 16 kills and 18 digs, and setter Portia Switzer had 17 digs and 37 assists.

With two more aces, Laube moved into third in U Sports with 20. 

The teams looked like they were heading to a fifth set with Manitoba up 23-21 after a Laube attack error. But the Wesmen got the serve back when Andi Almonte went hand-hunting but saw her attack go long, and Switzer followed with a dump that the Bisons couldn't handle and tied the set at 23. 

Parker followed with an ace that regular libero Julia Arnold shanked into the track level and Laube ended it with a transition kill coming out of a Manitoba timeout. 

The Wesmen hit .130 as a team, their lowest efficiency in a win this season. Manitoba posted a .124 attack efficiency.

Light Uchechukwu was the lone Bison in double-digit kills with 13.  

Outside hitter Keziah Hoeppner, who entered Friday averaging 16 kills and hitting .275 in three matches versus Winnipeg this season, was held to six kills on 45 swings with 12 errors. It was her first match this season hitting negative (-.133).

The match was a rescheduled fixture originally meant to be played in January. Now the Wesmen are off for nine days before playing the Brandon Bobcats in a home-and-home series that starts Feb. 17 in Brandon and wraps up with Senior Night on Feb. 19 at the Duckworth Centre. 

The Bobcats currently trail the Wesmen by two points for second place in the East Division. 

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