Viles, Bobcats rolling into break

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This article was published 02/12/2018 (2680 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

WINNIPEG — Elliott Viles doesn’t want to stop playing volleyball right now.

The Australian national team product is on an absolute tear, and so is the Bobcats men’s volleyball team. It swept the University of Manitoba Bisons 3-0 (25-21, 25-8, 25-15) in their Canada West match at the Investors Group Athletic Centre on Saturday.

Viles had seven kills, four blocks and five digs, which was really an off night for him. With 14 kills against Manitoba (4-8) on Friday, it brought the six-foot-four right side to 65 kills and eight errors in Brandon’s last six matches.

“He’s been pretty hot, I guess,” BU captain James Weir said with a laugh. “He’s doing phenomenal, couldn’t ask for much more.

“Super consistent, not making many errors, it’s nice. Hopefully he can keep this up.”

Coming into the season, the Bobcats (10-2) were experimenting with their lineup, and whether Viles would start at left side or right side. They found the answer they needed quickly, as the Australian national team product made the transition across the net seamlessly.

Brandon won its first four matches with Viles getting better in each one. After back-to-back-losses to the Mount Royal University Cougars in Calgary, the Bobcats haven’t dropped a set over six contests.

The hottest team in the country, BU will have to wait until January for another regular-season match, when it hosts the Trinity Western University Spartans.

“We’ve been playing good volleyball and always it’s fun to play to play good volleyball,” Viles said. “So we’re champing at the bit to get at Trinity. That being said, a break is always welcome as well. We’ve played a lot of games, so it’s good to get a break.”

Brandon’s success often hinges on its passing, but on Saturday the Bobcats (10-2) fared alright on bad passes, thanks to their block. After Reece Dixon saved a ball and BU gave Manitoba a free ball early, Weir and Seth Friesen put up a wall to shut down Bisons high-flyer Kevin Negus.

Success out of system made it look like another short night was in store for the Bobcats, but the Bisons responded. Brandonite Dylan Sutherland brought the Bisons back to a 14-14 tie with a crafty flick behind his head to the open court.

Manitoba battled BU well up to 20-20, but the Bobcats pulled away and closed out the set on a Viles stuff block and a Bisons error.

Viles showed off just about all his tools in the second set. He rejected a ball straight down to kick off the frame. The third-year outside ripped a fast ball down the line and followed up with an off-speed shot to the middle of the Bisons court.

“Reece has been giving me good balls,” Viles said. “When that happens, we’re going to be hard to stop. Getting one-on-ones, and our hitters have been effective.”

Then Viles served them right off of the court, forcing a pair of overbumps that the Bobcats put away as they raced to an absolute blowout set win.

The six-foot-four outside gets up so high on his float serve that it hits the passers at an angle they rarely see.

“That’s quite a hard serve to pass,” said Bisons left side Ben Carleton, who was aced twice. “It’s something we’re not quite used to. There’s not really anyone on our team who can jump as high as that.

“We did alright with it, but they’re still quite a good serving team.”

Viles picked up another stuff block on set point.

Carleton got a bit of redemption as he smashed a ball off Viles’ shoulder and nearly into the rafters early in the third, but Robin Baghdady ended the semester in style for the visitors. The rookie left side pounded four aces on a six-point run, then crushed a left-side attack off the block and into a small crowd of Bobcat fans.

“Robin’s five aces in a row though, that was pretty crazy. That was my highlight,” Viles said. “It’s good to win away though, as well.”

In the women’s match, Brandon (3-9) battled to the wire in three of the four sets, but fell 3-1 (25-19, 23-25, 25-23, 27-25) to Manitoba (5-7).

Nikala Majewski paced the Bobcats with 17 kills and 17 digs, and Michelle Egger added 13 kills and 10 digs.

Vincent Massey graduate Kelsey Jordan recorded 54 assists, two aces and seven digs for the Bisons.

BU enters the semester break, and doesn’t play again until Jan. 4.

» tfriesen@brandonsun.com

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