Bisons sweep Rouge et Or to open U SPORTS men’s volleyball championship
Owen Weekes powered the Manitoba Bisons to a straight-sets victory over the Laval Rouge et Or in the opening quarterfinal of the 2026 BioSteel U SPORTS Men’s Volleyball Championship on Friday afternoon at the Toldo Lancer Centre.
Manitoba took the match 25-20, 25-16, 25-17 to advance to Saturday’s semifinal at 6 p.m.
Weekes, named Manitoba’s player of the game, delivered a strong all-around performance with nine kills and six service aces, helping the Bisons control the match from the service line and keep constant pressure on the Rouge et Or defence.
The Bisons set the tone early in the opening set, pulling away midway through behind efficient attacking and strong play at the net. Manitoba hit .500 as a team and recorded 11 blocks in the match, limiting Laval’s offensive opportunities throughout the contest.
Karil Dadash Adeh and Jordon Heppner each added eight kills for Manitoba, while Jonah Dueck contributed six kills and five blocks. Setter Sammy Ludwig directed the offence with 29 assists as the Bisons maintained a steady rhythm from start to finish.
Laval’s Charles St-Aubin earned player-of-the-game honours for the Rouge et Or after recording 33 assists while orchestrating the team’s attack. Felix Dufour and Jacob Gendron each chipped in with seven kills, while Terell Tchouassi led Laval with 10 points.
Manitoba gained momentum late in the second set with a run that stretched the lead to nine points before closing it out comfortably. The Bisons then took control early in the third, highlighted by a service run from Weekes that included multiple aces and helped put the match out of reach.
The Rouge et Or struggled to generate sustained offence, finishing with 20 attack errors and a .230 hitting percentage compared to Manitoba’s .500 mark.
With the victory, Manitoba moves on to the semifinal Saturday at 6 p.m. ET, while Laval drops to the consolation bracket and will play at 12 p.m. ET.
