Wesmen Game Results February 22 - February 24, 2007

Thursday, February 22, 2007

HOME: (Great Plains Division Finals Best Of Three Series)

Women's Basketball vs Manitoba (Game One)
WESMEN 68  Manitoba 50

WESMEN UPEND BISONS TO TAKE EARLY ADVANTAGE IN SERIES

It was not pretty but a win is a win. The Winnipeg Wesmen defeated their cross town rivals the Manitoba Bisons 68-50 Thursday evening to take a 1-0 lead in the best of three Great Plains Division Final. CIS Scoring leader Uzo Asagwara led Winnipeg with a game high 28 points. The Wesmen started the contest forcing two early Manitoba turnovers while playing tough defence racing out to a 20-10 first quarter lead. Manitoba had a total of seven turnovers in the first quarter alone. The second quarter saw both teams struggle from the field as points were hard to come by. The Wesmen continued their strong defence and scored baskets when they had to take a 34-26 lead into halftime. Early on in the second half the Bisons were able to close the lead to six points but that was as close as they would come. The Wesmen extended their lead to 11 points at 50-39 after three quarters. In the fourth quarter the Wesmen scored seven straight points with just over four minutes to play to put a cap on the game one victory. Jenny Ezirim also played strong for Winnipeg finishing with 16 points and four steals before fouling out of the game. The Bisons were led by first year guard Tessa Klassen's 12 points, including three-three pointers. Rachel Hart finished with a game high 13 rebounds. Game two of the series will be played Friday night at the Duckworth Centre. Game time is 7:00 p.m.

AWAY: (Canada West Final Four @ Alberta)

Men's Volleyball vs Trinity Western 
Trinity Western def WESMEN 3-2 (20-25, 25-22, 25-22, 23-25, 15-8)

WESMEN DEFEATED BY SPARTANS IN OPENING MATCH AT CANADA WEST FINAL FOUR

The Winnipeg Wesmen kniew they were going to have to play their best in the opening match of the Canada West Final Four in Alberta. The Wesmen dropped a tough 3-2 (20-25, 25-22, 25-22, 23-25, 15-8) decision to the defending national champions from Trinity Western University. " We played pretty well at times in the match", said Wesmen Head Coach Larry McKay. The Wesmen came out strong in the opening set putting down 14 kills and seven blocks. Ryan DeBruyn had a great first set finishing with three kills and three blocks to lead the Wesmen to a 25-10 set win. The defending champions made adjustments in the next two sets and cut down their errors winning the next two sets by identical 25-22 scores. In the fourth set Ben Schellenberg took over and pounded home five kills to lead Winnipeg to a 25-23 set win and force a fifth and deciding set. The Spartans showed great poise and outplayed the Wesmen in the fifth set winning by a score of 15-8. Ben Schellenberg led Winnipeg with 19 kills. Setter Dustin Addison-Schneider collected 52 assists to go along with 16 defensive digs. The Wesmen will face the Alberta Golden Bears on Saturday night in the bronze medal match. Match time is 7:30 p.m. (Winnipeg Time). Trinity Western will face the UBC Thunderbirds in the gold medal match.


Friday, February 23, 2007

HOME: (Great Plains Division Finals Best Of Three Series)

Women's Basketball vs Manitoba (Game Two)
WESMEN 63  Manitoba 80

BISONS BEAT WESMEN TO FORCE DECIDING GAME THREE

The Great Plains Division Championship will come down to one game. The Manitoba Bisons defeated The Winnipeg Wesmen 80-63 Friday night at the Duckworth Centre. The victory evens the best of three series at 1-1 and forces a third and deciding game in the series to determine the Great Plains Division winner and who will travel to the Canada West Final Four next weekend. Manitoba had a total team effort on this night with three players scoring in double figures. Sarah Holder led the way for the Bisons with a game high 21 points and 10 rebounds. Rachel Hart and Tessa Klassen pitched in with 14 and 12 points respectiveley. The Wesmen were led by Uzo Asagwara' 20 points. The first quarter saw Winnipeg called for seven fouls which resulted in nine Manitoba points. Manitoba held a slim 19-17 lead after the first quarter. Both teams exchanged points back and forth in the secopnd quarter with the biggest lead being fiove points at 29-24 in Manitoba's favour. Jessica Stromberg of the Wesmen drained back-to-back three pointers to pull the Wesmen ahead by three only to see Leanne Legal Young connect on a three pointer to tie the score at 32-32 at halftime. The second half was a totally different story as Winnipeg struggled shooting 37% from the field compared to 49% for Manitoba. Rachel Hart led the Bisons in the third quarter scoring nine points to help the Bisons take a 58-51 lead after three quarters. Manitoba kept the pressure on Winnipeg in the fourth quarter outscoring the Wesmen 22-12 to close out game two. Manitoba finished with eight three pointers, including five in the second half. The Bisons were strong at the free throw line going 20-for-23 (87%) compared to 8-for-14 (57%) for the Wesmen. Game three will take place Saturday night at the Duckworth Centre. Game time is 7:00 p.m.


Saturday, February 24, 2007

HOME: (Great Plains Division Finals Best Of Three Series)

Women's Basketball vs Manitoba (Game Three)
WESMEN 80  Manitoba 73

WESMEN ADAVANCE TO CANADA WEST FINAL FOUR

The Winnipeg Wesmen were determined and focused on this night and it paid off. The Wesmen defeated the Manitoba Bisons 80-73 in the third and deciding game of the Great Plains Division Final Saturday night at the Duckworth Centre in Winnipeg. The Wesmen made some adjustments on defence, most importantly putting first year player Tremaine Francis into the game to light a spark on the defensive side of the ball. Francis finished with a strong six rebounds, and two steals in only eight minutes of playing time. The Wesmen pressure defense seemed to confuse the Bisons in the first half with Winnipeg leading 20-10 after the first quarter and expanding their lead to 39-22 at halftime. Winnipeg shot better from the field than in game two, connecting from 47% of the ir shots in the first half. Manitoba struggled shooting a paltry 28%, including 0-for-9 from three point range. The Wesmen were able to carry the play in to the third quarter and keeping a hard working Bison team off balance. An amazing running three pointer by Uzo Asagwara gave Winnipeg a 57-36 lead after three quarters of play. The Bisons were forced to play desperate ball in the fourth quarter and were able to cut the lead to as little as six points. with the help of six-three poinyters in the fourth quarter. The Wesmen were able to sink their free throws when they needed to and win the game and series. Asagwara finished with a team high 26 points. Stefanie Timmersman also had a great bgame finishing with 20 points and nine rebounds. Third year point guard Jenny Ezirim was a spark on both sides of the ball finishing with 13 points, three assist and picking up three steals and one block. Sarah Holder kept Manitoba in the game scoring a game high 28 points and grabbing 15 rebounds. The Wesmen will now head to next weekend's Canada West Final Four at UBC or Simon Fraser.

AWAY: (Canada West Final Four @ Alberta)

Men's Volleyball vs Alberta (Bronze Medal Match) 
WESMEN def Alberta 3-2 (17-25, 21-25, 25-18, 25-23, 15-13)

WESMEN ERASE DEFECIT TO WIN BRONZE AT CANADA WEST FINAL FOUR

The Winnpeg Wesmen Men's Volleyball Team erased a two set defecit to defeat the number one ranked Alberta Golden Bears 3-2 (17-25, 21-25, 25-18, 25-23, 15-13) to win the bronze medal at the Canada West Final Four in Edmonton. " We played a great match against a tough team who had the home crowd behind them", said Wesmen Head Coach Larry McKay.
The Golden Bears showed why they are the top ranked team in the country winning the first two sets by scores of 25-17 and 25-21. The determined Wesmen team did not quit taking the third set 25-18, followed up by a tough fourth set win by a score of 25-23 to tie the match and foorce a fifth set. The Wesmen completed the comeback winning the fifth set 15-13 to capture the bronze medal. Ben Schellenberg and Marty Rochon led the Winnipeg attack with 15 kills each. Richard Wiebe had a strong match collecting 14 kills. The Wesmen will now come home to prepare for the CIS Men's Volleyball Championships which gets under way on Friday at McMaster University in Hamilton.