Image Credit: Alessandro Boggio/Thymos Capture via TRU WolfPack

By Victor Kaisar

Canada West Volleyball

WolfPack women set new wins record as volleyball teams sweep Manitoba ahead of winter break

Nov 30, 2025 | 10:06 AM

KAMLOOPS — The TRU WolfPack women’s volleyball team have made it to 10 wins before the Canada West winter break for the first time ever in program history.

They achieved that milestone with another 3-0 (25-10, 25-16, 25-15) sweep over the Manitoba Bisons at the TCC Saturday (Nov. 29) night, for their sixth consecutive win of the season.

It was also the first time that Manitoba, the defending national champions, were swept in straight sets in a weekend since 2019.

“It starts with the team buying in,” Head Coach Chad Grimm said of the new record. “They do the right things, they are working hard and pushing each other in practice, they’re good teammates.”

“They don’t want to have the same feeling that we were left with at the end of last year, so I think that’s been a good motivator and then we have the personnel as well.”

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Keira Gent led the way for TRU with 13 kills, while Maria Dancheva added 11 on just 15 attacks. Rida Erlalelitepe had nine kills and a trio of aces while Hail Ward tallied eight kills, with Myah Cressy right behind at six.

Libby Meldrum’s 42 assists were just one shy of top ten in the Canada West record books in the three set affair.

“I thought we passed the ball extremely well. We were in system for most of the night and got enough service pressure to keep them out of system,” Grimm added.

“We have enough weapons to keep teams off balance if we are passing the ball well and we can block and defend at a high level when we have the other team off the net – both those things came to fruition today and it made for a good night for us.”

Ranked 10th in Canada going into the weekend, the WolfPack go into the winter break atop the Canada West standings at 10-2. Manitoba was ranked eighth.

The WolfPack men also completed the weekend sweep with a marathon five-set win over the Bisons.

Fifth-year outside hitter Rylan Ibbetson led the way for TRU with 20 kills and a pair of service aces as the WolfPack came back to win 3-2 (21-25, 25-23, 18-25, 26-24, 16-14) at the TCC.

Alex Howard added another 16 kills for TRU while Parker Bailey chipped in with 11 kills of his own. Walker Sodaro continued his torrid pace this season with a career-best 55 assists on the night.

“Overall, I thought it was good,” Head Coach Pat Hennelly said. “There were some points in that match where we were just okay but in the end we got the result we were looking for so I’m happy for the guys.”

The WolfPack men improve to 4-8 and they occupy the 10th and final playoff berth in Canada West.

Next up for the TRU men is a three-day exhibition tournament they’re hosting Jan. 2 to 4, 2026. Both teams will resume Canada West play on Jan. 9 against the Trinity Western Spartans in Langley.