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Spartans split with Winnipeg Wesmen

Trinity Western men's volleyball team improves to 8-2

One night after falling in four sets, the Trinity Western Spartans to rallied to win in five sets to earn a split against the host Winnipeg Wesmen at the Duckworth Centre.

On Friday, the Spartans led 22-17 in the first set but the Wesmen rallied to score eight straight points to win the set, and as Trinity Western coach Ben Josephson put it, “that was the game.”

The Wesmen upset the second-ranked Spartans 3-1 on the Friday night, wining 25-222, 25-16, 27-29 and 25-15.

“After that, it was like trying to stop a locomotive,” Josephson said.

“They were feeling it; they sensed blood in the water and they didn’t let us off the hook.”

Steven Marshall led the Spartans with 15 kills while Nick Del Bianco added 10. Tyler Koslowsky had 16 digs and Scott Plocktis had 33 assists.

And the Spartans fell behind again on Saturday, before rallying to win the final two sets to earn the split.

Trinity Western won 26-24 before losing sets two and three 25-22 and 25-21. The Spartans stayed alive with a 27-25 win in set four and then took the match 15-11.

“It was a real gutty win on the road,” Josephson said.

“We earned the split in a city that hasn’t been too kind to us in terms of wins and losses.”

The Spartans improved to 8-2.

Brad Kufsek led the team, this time with a match-high 17 kills and 17 digs while Marshall had 14 kills and Del Bianco had 13 kills.

Lucas Van Berkel led the team with eight blocks while John Wiebe came up with 17 digs.

Dan Jansen Van Doorn returned to the line-up with seven kills and seven blocks.

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Both Spartan teams conclude their Canada West first semester schedule with a pair of road games on Dec. 1 and 2 in Kelowna against the UBC Okanagan Heat.