‘Friendly’ rivals renew acquaintances

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This article was published 17/01/2018 (2810 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Nick Jacobson didn’t get a chance to form his own opinion of the Manitoba Bisons when he first set foot in Winnipeg in the fall of 2013.

His new Winnipeg Wesmen men’s volleyball teammates immediately taught him all he needed to know about the crosstown university rivals.

“Getting here, the fifth-year players instilled it in the younger guys. They said, ‘We hate U of M, we have to kill U of M.’ That gets grilled inside of you right away,” Jacobson, who hails from Calgary, said Wednesday.

 

“Since then, as soon you step on the court against them you feel it. That fuel inside of you just builds every year. Now, this being my last year, I really want to put it to them, really want to bring it home.”

Jacobson, a 6-5 middle, and the rest of the U of W volleyball squad hosts the U of M Bisons tonight in a key matchup as part of the Duckworth Challenge. It’s the 27th year of the annual heated battle between the schools’ soccer, volleyball and basketball teams.

The Wesmen host the volleyball matches tonight (women at 6 p.m., men at 7:45 p.m.) at the Duckworth Centre on Spence Street.

Just 24 hours later, the Bisons hope to optimize home-court advantage during a pair of basketball games Friday (women at 6 p.m., men at 8 p.m.) at Investors Group Athletic Centre on the Fort Garry campus.

Back in October, the universities’ women’s soccer teams battled to a 0-0 draw — so, nothing has been settled.

The Bisons have captured the Duckworth Challenge Trophy the past four seasons.

“I love competitiveness and I think all athletes have that spirit in them, said Kalena Schulz, a right side for the Wesmen women’s volleyball team.

“(U of W) has lost to the Bisons the past couple of years, so it’s great to be the underdogs… it’s awesome to have a chance to exceed expectations.”

There is a tie-breaking formula if the schools wind up tied following Friday night’s action.

All games are part of the teams’ regular-season play and count in the Canada West league standings.

Schulz and the Wesmen are just 1-15 this year, while the Bison women are 6-10. In men’s volleyball, Jacobson and the Wesmen are 10-6, while the Bisons are 6-10.

In Canada West hoops, the U of M men are 10-6 but are hoping to rebound from recent back-to-back defeats, while the Wesmen men are 5-9 but have won their past two games. Meanwhile, the U of W women have rattled off eight straight triumphs and are 10-4, while the Bison women are 8-8.

“We’re rebuilding and it’s awesome to see us grow in all departments,” said Bisons’ second-year point guard Taylor Randall, 20.

This will be just the second Duckworth Challenge for the Hamilton product, but she’s already fully immersed in the intensity of the rivalry.

“You can definitely feel the pressure. Leading up to it, everyone’s on edge. I love it because I live for those rivalries and coming here it was such a bonus to have another team in Winnipeg to really battle,” she said.

Bison men’s basketball coach Kirby Schepp has a unique perspective when it comes to the Challenge. He’s a former player and assistant coach with the Wesmen who took over the reins at the U of M in 2008.

Schepp said he remembers just how worked up things got on the court.

“When I was a player, U of M had a guy named Ogo Okwumabua, who’s a prominent member of our basketball community, and I can remember how much I hated Ogo, just kind of despised him,” he said.

“Now, he’s actually one of my best friends. So, it’s an enhanced rivalry, for sure. I think at both campuses, this is a date you definitely circle.

“It’s certainly a heightened sense of urgency coming into this week. As the expression goes, familiarity breeds contempt. There’s certainly that need to win, and a little bit of animosity is a good thing.”

jason.bell@freepress.mb.caTwitter: @WFPJasonBell