Box Score The Manitoba Bisons women's volleyball team are the 2013-14 CIS women's volleyball champions after winning 3-0 (25-22, 25-22, 25-20) over the #1 seed and defending six-time CIS champion University of British Columbia Thunderbirds in the championship final on Sunday, March 2 at the University of Regina.
With the championship win, the Bisons have now earned their seventh CIS championship in the program's history and first since the 2001-02 season. The other times Manitoba have won a CIS Championship: 1970-71, 1989-90, 1990-91, 1991-92, 2000-01, 2001-02.
The Bisons (regular season: 14-8 record; playoffs: 6-1) continued their dominance throughout the three day national championship event as they used their defence and passing to set-up a potent offence against a UBC team that were trying to win for an unprecedented seventh consecutive time.
With the match victory, the Bisons snapped a 18 game match streak (regular season and playoffs) against UBC that dated back to the 2007-08 season and a 10 game playoff streak against the T-Birds with the last time the Herd beat them was in the 2002 CIS championship semi-final – the last time Manitoba hoisted the CIS championship trophy.
"We passed very well and Caleigh (Dobie) played very well as our overall defence was amazing and our passing was there. We were able to attack different zones and not get UBC on a roll," Bison women's volleyball head coach
Ken Bentley said after the championship. "It's like the song 'feels like the first time' and we have been so close for some many years. It feels really good to be healthy and be able to get another shot at a CIS championship as it is so hard to win now and really proud of the whole team effort."
In CIS Championship meetings, Manitoba have a record now of 3-2 against UBC and last met them in 2010 CIS WVB Championship final in 2010 with UBC winning 3-1.
BISON CIS WVB CHAMPIONSHIP NOTES: In 20 CIS WVB Championship appearances since 1981, Manitoba has played 59 matches and holds a 43-16 record (72.9% win percentage). The Bisons, Canada West silver medalist, won 14 out 17 matches since the start of the second half of the 2013-14 season. This is the first time Manitoba did not lose a set while winning a CIS Championship (9-0 in sets this year). Manitoba now tied with Winnipeg and Alberta for second place all-time for CIS WVB championship titles with seven, three behind UBC.
2014 CIS women's volleyball championship seeding:
1.   University of British Columbia
2.   University of Manitoba
3.   Trinity Western University
4.   Université Laval
5.   McMaster University
6.   Dalhousie University
7.   University of Ottawa
8.   University of Regina
Friday, February 28 (all times are Central Time)
1 p.m. Dalhousie 3 Trinity Western 1     Â
3 p.m. Manitoba 3 Ottawa 0
6 p.m. UBC 3 Regina 1           Â
8 p.m. Laval 3 McMaster 0
Saturday, March 1
1 p.m. Consolation #1: TWU 3 Ottawa 0     Â
3 p.m. Consolation #2: Regina 3 McMaster 0
6 p.m. Semifinal #1: Manitoba 3 Dalhousie 0  Â
8 p.m.  Semifinal #2: UBC 3 Laval 1
Sunday, March 2
1 p.m. 5th place game: Trinity Western 3 Regina 2  Â
3 p.m. Bronze medal game: Laval 3 Dalhousie 1         Â
6 p.m. Gold medal game: Manitoba 3 UBC 0
R.W. Pugh Fair Play Award – Katherine Ryan, Dalhousie
In addition, Manitoba adds to its medal count at the CIS WVB Championship – Bisons now in history: SEVEN CIS CHAMPIONSHIPS (1970-71, 1989-90, 1990-91, 1991-92, 2000-01, 2001-02, 2013-14); 6 SILVER MEDALS (1980-81, 1985-86, 1986-87, 1997-98, 1999-00, 2009-10); 4 BRONZE MEDALS (1992-93, 1993-94, 1994-95, 1998-99).
