The second set was right there for the taking for the Winnipeg Wesmen.

Until it wasn't. 

The Mount Royal Cougars rallied from 24-19 down in the second set to win 27-25, and ultimately prevailed with a 3-0 (25-23, 27-25, 25-17) Canada West conference men's volleyball victory Friday night at the Duckworth Centre.

The second set was unquestionably a major tipping point as the Wesmen went from feeling like they were right back in the match, to watching the Cougars dominate the third set en route to their fifth straight conference win.

Winnipeg, meanwhile, fell to 6-7 on the season with its third straight loss. 

Nigel Nielsen led the Wesmen with nine kills, but hit .080. Matt Klysh, the sometimes-setter-sometimes-swinger, had seven kills on 11 swings and added 14 assists and three digs in a mixed role. Eric Dornez had eight kills, as did Liam Kristjanson, who hit .286.

The Wesmen hit .181 on the match and attacked at .241 in the first set when they fell behind twice late — 18-15 and 22-20 — only to claw back to even the set before MRU pushed ahead. 

Chris Byam had a match-high 16 kills for the Cougars, who hit .342 on the night. Jackson Brennan, the brother of current Wesmen libero Carson Brennan and former Wesmen Logan Brennan, had a match-high 31 assists. 

The two teams meet again Saturday with first serve at 5 p.m. Tickets are available online at wesmen.ca/tickets.