An impassioned performance from the visitors was too much for the Winnipeg Wesmen Friday night. 

The Thompson Rivers Wolfpack, playing their first match since tragedy struck their program five weeks earlier, earned their fifth win of the season, scoring a 3-1 (25-21, 28-26, 26-28, 25-19) Canada West conference win at the Duckworth Centre.

A moment of silence was held prior to the match for Owyn McInnis, Owen Waterhouse and Riley Brinnen, who were involved in a motor vehicle accidence Nov. 29 in Kamloops, B.C., which claimed McInnis' life and left Waterhouse and Brinnen in hospital with critical injuries. 

TRU and supporters have set up a variety of fundraising initiatives to assist the families as well as a scholarship in McInnis' name. More information on those can be found on the Wolfpack website. 

Friday, the Wolfpack looked like an inspired bunch, hitting .389 for the match and generating 19 total blocks and 32 digs. No player on TRU hit less than .303.

Matthew Hamilton had 17 kills to lead the way for the Wolfpack (5-6). Sam Flowerday added 16 and Rylan Ibbetson 14. 

The Wesmen had their best moments in a third set that extended the match. Winnipeg (7-6) trailed the set 19-14 before going on a 5-1 run that sent the Wolfpack into a timeout with a one-point lead. TRU would take a 22-20 advantage eventually, but the Wesmen would even it at 22 on a Paxton Koop kill followed by an Ethan Duncan/Isaiah Olfert block. Duncan would eventually end the set with an ace, one of two on the night for him.

And things were starting Winnipeg's way in the fourth, as well. Back-to-back aces from Olfert made it 9-5 early on, but the Wolfpack won seven of the next eight points and never looked back.

Nigel Nielsen's 12 kills topped all Wesmen players. Olfert had nine kills, three aces and matched Alex Krykewich with a team-high six digs.