BRANDON, MB - Needing five sets in a thriller on Saturday night, Golden Bears Volleyball improved to 13-5 with a road sweep over the Brandon Bobcats. 

The Bears are all but locked into the fourth seed in Canada West, and will close out the regular season against MacEwan next weekend at Saville. 

Jacob Sargent delivered a match-high 18 kills on .263 hitting, adding 15 digs and four block assists to finish with 21.0 points in a complete two-way performance. Matt Shand followed with 16 kills, six digs, and four block assists, while Dylan Martens contributed 11 kills, 15 digs, and two aces despite facing heavy defensive pressure.

Setter Luke Weddell steered the offence through a demanding five-set match, recording 54 assists, seven digs, and two aces, consistently keeping Alberta's attackers involved. At the net, Trent Cherewaty was efficient and disruptive, finishing with seven kills on .538 hitting and four block assists. Owen Harris added eight kills and three aces, providing key momentum swings from the service line.

For Brandon, Tom Friesen led all Bobcats with 18 kills, while Liam Pauls added 14 kills and 17.0 points in the loss.

Alberta opened the match with control and efficiency, hitting .429 in the frame. Sargent and Shand combined for early kills, while Cherewaty established presence in the middle. A late service run from Harris helped the Golden Bears pull away and take the opening set.

The second set turned into a marathon, featuring 11 tie scores and multiple momentum swings. Brandon leaned on Friesen and Pauls to hold off Alberta's pushes. Despite key kills from Sargent and Martens late, the Bobcats capitalized on extended rallies to edge the Bears and even the match.

Alberta responded decisively. Martens found rhythm in transition, Shand closed multiple rallies, and Weddell spread the offence effectively as the Bears hit .407. The Bobcats struggled to find clean looks, and Alberta reclaimed the lead with a controlled performance.

Brandon forced a fifth set behind improved blocking and service pressure. Friesen scored consistently from the left side, while Alberta was held to .037 hitting, allowing the Bobcats to square the match.

The Golden Bears seized control early in the tiebreak. Sargent delivered multiple key kills, Harris applied pressure from the service line, and Alberta's block tightened late to close out the match.