M-VOLLEYBALL ROUNDUP: Gryphons hand No. 8 York Lions first loss of season
Friday, October 24
Western 3 @ RMC 0
KINGSTON, Ont. – The Western Mustangs men's volleyball team earned their second win of the season on Friday night with a straight sets victory over the RMC Paladins at the Kingston Military Community Sports Centre.
Still energized from last week's thrilling five set win over McMaster, the Mustangs stepped on the court with a clear objective in mind. Unwilling to fall behind on the scoreboard Western displayed strong skills and a refusal to allow the ball to drop.
Western began the first set strong, showing high levels of skill and ball control as they responded to the 26 total attacks coming from the Paladins. With 14 kills in the first frame, the Mustangs pushed through the blocks throws up by RMC and exploited defensive errors to take the first set 25-18.
Continuing the success from the previous set, the Mustangs again took control of the play and prevented RMC from pulling ahead. Executing 13 kills throughout the set, the Mustangs exhibited their offensive power and won the second set 25-17.
Unwilling to allow a loss, Western fought hard through the final set. Defending against frequent attacks, the Mustangs displayed their tight defence and ball handling skill to allow only 8 kills from RMC, while recording 14 for themselves to take the set and the match with a 25-18 win.
Justin Scapinello led the Mustang score sheet, recording 18 points with 16 kills and two service aces throughout the match. Second in scoring for the purple and white was Mike Choja, who recorded 9 points through seven kills and one service ace. Meanwhile, rookie Scott Langley recorded 11 digs throughout the match.
Adam Lupon, a third year Psychology student, topped the RMC scoreboard with 12 total points, from 11 kills and one service ace.
The Mustangs next face off against Queen's on October 25, with the game set to begin at 8 p.m. in Kingston.
Source: Western Mustangs
Ryerson 0 @ McMaster 3 (25-20, 25-20 and 25-22)
The Marauders took the Rams out of their comfort zone early and kept them scrambling throughout a short match on Friday night. McMaster swept Ryerson (25-20, 25-20 and 25-22) to improve to 2-1 and secure their second consecutive sweep after a loss in their opener.
Second-year outside Brandon Koppers led McMaster with 13 points in the victory, converting on 12 of 19 hitting attempts versus just two errors (.526) while adding an ace. Jori Mantha and Danny Demyanenko also reached double digits, posting 11.5 and 11 points respectively.
Passing improved for the Marauders once again on Friday, as McMaster made just one reception error.
The two teams opened evenly in the first set, and McMaster took a slender 16-14 lead into the technical timeout. But the hosts would prove to be more efficient side in the late stages, and sealed the set when Koppers ended an extended rally with a roll shot that found the back line.
The Marauders jumped out to an early lead in the second, and were comfortably ahead at the technical timeout, with a five-point cushion. Their efficiency saw them through the frame with just two attacking errors as a team, and McMaster clinched the identical 25-20 scoreline having hit 17-27 (.556).
Ryerson seemed unable to find another gear, and increasingly channeled their offence through Lucas Coleman on the outside, who finished with a game-high 14.5 points. Unfortunately for the Rams, their inability to shape the Marauders attack kept the ball out of their hands, and the Marauders consistently in the lead.
Koppers brought another efficient set, in which McMaster converted on 17-23 hitting attempts, to a close with his 12th and final kill of the match, wiping an attack cross court and down for 25-22.
McMaster returns to the Burridge Gym court tomorrow night, when the Marauders host the Toronto Varsity Blues at 7:00 p.m.
Source: McMaster Marauders
Nipissing 2 @ Guelph 3 (25-16, 22-25, 19-25, 25-14, 17-15)
Guelph, Ont. - The University of Guelph men's volleyball team gave the fans their money's worth Friday night in the home opener at the W.F. Mitchell Centre! The Gryphons improved to 1-1 on the young season after a thrilling 5-set victory over the Nipissing Lakers (0-1).
The Gryphons got off to a strong start, taking the opening set 25-16. But two straight sets by the Lakers (22-25, 19-25) had the Gryphons reeling and staring an 0-2 start to the season in the face. Instead, the Gryphons found a way to rally back and took the fourth set 25-14 to set up a decisive fifth set. Behind a strong performance from senior Patrick Strzalkowski (St. Catherine's, Ont.), who led the way with 13 kills, 19.5 points and eight digs, the Gryphons were able to pull out a 17-15 fifth set to secure the come-from-behind win.
The men will be in action at home again on Saturday night when they host the York Lions.
Source: Guelph Gryphons
Windsor 2 @ Queen's 3 (25-22, 26-24, 18-25, 25-27, 15-10)
KINGSTON, Ont. (October 24, 2014) - Queen's fell 3-2 in their home opener against the Windsor Lancers on Friday night after falling behind early, eventually losing in the fifth set, 25-22, 26-24, 18-25, 25-27, 15-10.
The Gaels kept it close through the first two sets, but couldn't pull out a win, as Windsor setter Andrew Chelladurai consistently made plays to keep his team ahead.
The third set was a different story, with Queen's dominating from the outset. Philippe Goyer (Ottawa) and Mike Tomlinson (Stratford, Ont.) led the Gaels charge with four and three kills in the set, respectively. As was the case throughout the match, Ivo Dramov's (Plovdiv, Bulgaria) defence was the best of any Gael, recording four digs in the third set and 14 in the match.
Queen's held off a strong surge late in the fourth set to take it 27-25, as the Lancers looked to end the match. After coming back from two sets down, the Gaels successfully forced a fifth set.
In the fifth set, Windsor jumped out to an early 5-1 lead, which they never relinquished. Shawn Reaume extinguished Queen's final momentum with a fantastic dig, keeping the Gaels from scoring any more points and getting back into the game.
Tomlinson had the best night for Queen's, recording 22 kills, 11 digs, 3.5 blocks, and two service aces. Goyer finished the match with 15 saves, 10 digs, and four blocks for the tricolour. Also contributing 10 kills for the Gaels was Markus Trence (Orangeville, Ont.).
Gabriel Burlacu, Greg Simone, and Adam Thompson were Windsor's attacking trio, collecting 15, 14, and 12 kills, respectively. Berlacu also had 5.5 blocks and a pair of service aces, while libero Blase Wasser registered a game-high 15 digs.
Queen's (0-1) continues their opening weekend on Saturday at 8pm against the Western Mustangs in the ARC.
Source: Queen's Gaels
York 3 @ Waterloo 1 (21-25, 20-25, 25-21, 25-27)
The Waterloo Warriors men's volleyball team was fell 3-1 to a York Lions squad who look poised to have an exceptional season. Service errors were the Achilles heel for the Warriors in an eventual 4-set loss to the Lions (21-25, 20-25, 25-21, 25-27). The game was hosted at RIM Park.
Service errors stymied any momentum Waterloo was able to generate in this contest and ultimately cost them the match. The Warriors committed 17 services errors on the evening which was a huge contributor to the loss.
In the first set, Waterloo would take an early 7-4 lead off a sound offence run by Nikola Dimitrijevic (Mississauga), but York would counter with the next 5 points to take a 9-7 lead. Warriors would lose 6 of the next 7 points before head coach Chris Lawson was forced into a timeout down 15-8.
York's defence continued to stand tall as they continued to dig almost every ball thrown at them. York would take a 20-16 lead before Waterloo would call another timeout. The black and gold would fight back to make it close but would eventually drop the first set 25-21.
In set #2, both side's defence was hard to come by and offence was running rampant. Nikola Sandic had many attacking options in his repertoire for the Lions and this seemed to confuse the Warriors defence. York held a 13-12 lead midway through the second set and would exchange points throughout. Zachary Doherty (Goderich) would serve into the net at 23-19 and the Warriors would eventually drop the set 25-20.
In the third set, Waterloo looked determined and poised to force a fourth set. Service errors continued to haunt the black and gold but a consistent offence led to many points. At the technical timeout, York led 16-15 but Waterloo would come out energized and eventually take the 3rd set 25-21 to force a 4th.
In the 4th set, the teams fought hard to establish the momentum but it seemed to sway often. York had a 16-13 lead at the technical timeout and did not seem likely to let the lead slip. Waterloo tied the game at 19-19 but would drop the next 2 points to go down 21-19. The match would go into extended points but Waterloo would eventually drop the 4th set 27-25 to lose the match.
The match was very competitive and saw two largely even times battle it out. Waterloo's service errors were certainly a deciding factor in the match in an otherwise strong showing from the Warriors.
Warriors' standout Jordan Dyck (St. Catharines) had a solid night for the black and gold scoring 16 kills, 3 digs and 2 block assists in the loss while 2nd year Jordan McConkey (Stratford) stepped up large and delivered 15 kills, 1 dig and 2 block assists. Nikola Dimitrijevic (Mississauga) had 48 assists in the match along with a service ace and 6 digs.
For the Lions, 5th year Ray Szeto was a beast, compiling 18 kills, 6 digs and 2 block assists while newcomer Josh Henderson had 17 kills and 12 digs in the contest. Setter Nikola Sandic had a marvelous game with 44 assists and 2 kills on the evening.
The Warriors will be back in action tomorrow night as they play host to the 0-1 Nipissing Lakers at 8pm at RIM Park.
Source: Waterloo Warriors
Saturday, October 25
Windsor 3 @ RMC 1 (25-18, 25-17, 22-25, 25-14)
The Lancer men's volleyball team earned their first two victories of the year with a pair of wins over the Queen's Gaels and RMC Palandins over the weekend in Kingston, ON.
Windsor defeated the Gaels 3-2 (25-22, 26-24, 18-25, 25-27, 15-10) in a five-set thriller on Friday night, and followed it up with a 3-1 (25-18 25-17, 22-25, 25-14) win over RMC on Saturday afternoon.
On Friday, the Gaels kept it close through the first two sets, but couldn't pull out a win, as Windsor setter Andrew Chelladurai consistently made plays to keep his team ahead.
The third set was a different story, with Queen's dominating from the outset. Philippe Goyer and Mike Tomlinson led the Gaels charge with four and three kills in the set, respectively.
Windsor put on a strong surge late in the fourth set, but the Gaels held it off to take it 27-25 and force a fifth set, as the Lancers looked to end the match.
In the fifth set, Windsor jumped out to an early 5-1 lead, which they never relinquished. Shawn Reaume extinguished Queen's final momentum with a fantastic dig, keeping the Gaels from scoring any more points and getting back into the game.
Gabriel Burlacu, Greg Simone, and Adam Thompson were Windsor's attacking trio, collecting 15, 14, and 12 kills, respectively. Berlacu also had 5.5 blocks and a pair of service aces, while libero Blase Wasser registered a game-high 15 digs.
On Saturday against RMC, Chad Hinchey led the way for the Blue & Gold with 10 kills and 7 digs for 14.5 points. Adam Thompson and Jake MacNeil had 9 and 8 kills respectively, while Andrew Chelladurai had a game high 13 digs.
Windsor will play their first home game next Friday night when they host the Guelph Gryphons on Halloween night at 8:00pm at the St. Denis Centre.
Source: Windsor Lancers
Toronto 0 @ McMaster 3 (25-18, 25-22 and 25-19)
McMaster completed its third consecutive sweep on Saturday, this one coming at the expense of the Toronto Varsity Blues.
The Blues threatened to extend the night in the second set, but ultimately fell 25-18, 25-22 and 25-19 to the Marauders. That result moved McMaster to 3-1 on the season, while Toronto opened their campaign 0-1.
Danny Demyanenko was the Marauders most efficient and prolific hitter on Saturday, converting 11 of 13 attempts and adding three blocks for a game-high 14 points. A trio of outside hitters, Jayson McCarthy, Brandon Koppers and Jori Mantha reached double digit point totals, posting 13.5, 12.5 and 10 respectively.
The two teams opened Saturday's match strongly, both hitting crisply and spreading the ball well. McMaster hit .429 as a team in the first set, converting 16 of 28 hitting attempts versus just four errors, while Toronto hit .333.
After seeing out the first fairly cleanly, the Marauders hit an early snag in the second, as a combination of bad luck on the hosts' part and efficient play by the visitors propelled the Varsity Blues into a lead.
They looked to be on their way to levelling the match at a set apiece, and led 21-18 in the late stages, before the bottom fell out of their game. A series of loose passes made for quick work for the Marauders, and they sped past the Blues to snatch the second set away.
Having taken the two-set lead, McMaster established control early in the third, and led by as many as seven points before the technical timeout. The Blues would narrow that gap as the set progressed, but McMaster's versatile attack kept them ahead throughout.
After opening their season with four consecutive home matches, the Marauders will embark on their first road trip of the campaign when they travel to Toronto to take on the York Lions on Friday.
Source: McMaster Marauders
York 1 @ Guelph 3 (26-24, 25-22,25-18, 25-21)
The No. 8 York University Lions men's volleyball team lost to the Guelph Gryphons 3-1 on Saturday (Oct. 25) in Guelph, Ont.
The Lions lost the first set 26-24, lost the second 25-22, won the third 25-18, and lost the fourth 25-21.
In the first set, the Lions led the attack with kills by Marko Dakic (Mississauga, Ont.), Ray Szeto (Sutton, Ont.) and Josh Henderson (Scarborough, Ont.). The Gryphons were able to tie the game at 16-16, then began to lead due to numerous service errors from the Lions. The Lions pulled through and tied the game again at 24-24, but a kill by Joshua Green and a service error gave the Gryphons a two-point win.
The second set was tight as well at 21-22 in the end, but with a kill by Patrick Strzalkowski and an attack error at the end of the set, the Gryphons were able to win with a three-point lead.
The Lions began and finished strong in the third set, balancing a two-point lead throughout the game due to kills by Alexander Duncan-Thibault (Scarborough, Ont.), Szeto and Dakic and many errors from the Gryphons. The Lions ended the set with a seven-point advantage and feeling confident that they can take the fourth set.
The fourth set was a grueling battle with kills coming from both sides. With an even battle of kills towards the end of the game, the Lions fell short due to service and attack errors.
Leaders from the Lions' side included Szeto with 14 kills, one ace and two blocks; Dakic with 14 kills and two blocks and Henderson with 11 kills, two aces and three blocks.
Leaders from the Gryphons side included Marc Wilson with nine kills and five blocks; Joshua Green with eight kills, one ace and one block and Strzalkowski with eight kills, two aces and one block.
The next game for the Lions is a home game against the No. 3 McMaster Marauders on Friday (Oct. 31) at the Tait McKenzie Centre in their home opener.
Source: York Lions
Western 3 @ Queens 0 (25-18, 25-23, 25-23)
KINGSTON, Ont. (October 25, 2014) - Queen's came close, but couldn't take a set from the high powered Western Mustangs in Saturday night's 25-18, 25-23, 25-23 loss at the ARC.
Mike Tomlinson (Stratford, Ont.) got the Gaels going in the first set, hitting more smashes than anyone in the set with five. Six service errors in the opening set offset any momentum Queen's generated, as the Mustangs took advantage of the Gaels mistakes to ahead 1-0 in the match.
Queen's narrowed the scoreline in the second and third sets to 25-23, but Western's Justin Scapinello put on a hitting clinic, recording nine of his game-high 17 kills in the second set. In the third set, Tomlinson subbed back into the game with Western ahead 20-17, rattling off the next five kills for the Gaels. Down 24-23, a missed Tomlinson serve ended match in a win for the Mustangs.
Errors cost the Gaels the match, as the total spread was only 11 points, and Queen's committed 10 more service and attacking errors combined than the Mustangs.
Ivo Dramov (Plovdiv, Bulgaria) used his fast reflexes and good positioning to pick up a game-high 12 digs for Queen's, half of which took place in the first set. Tomlinson's final kill total was the best of any Gael, finishing the match with 11.
Western libero Matt Silver made 11 digs in the Mustangs win.
After dropping a pair of games on their home opening weekend, the Gaels (0-2) head to Ryerson on Friday and Toronto on Saturday in search of their first win of the season.
Source: Queen's Gaels
Nipissing 0 @ Waterloo 3 (25-16, 25-15, 25-19)
The Warriors men's volleyball team was hosting their second game in two nights as they welcomed the Nipissing Lakers to RIM Park. Waterloo dominated the game from start to finish, earning a straight sets victory (25-16, 25-15, 25-19). Zachary Doherty (Goderich) led the Warriors in kills and service aces with 10 and 3, respectively. Waterloo moves to 2-1 on the young campaign.
In the opening set, the black and gold looked determined to avenge a loss to York last night where they dropped 3 of 4 sets. After opening with a 10-10 draw, Waterloo stole the next 4 points to force the Lakers into a timeout. Jordan Dyck (St. Catharines) and Doherty were in perfect sync tonight with setter Nikola Dimitrijevic (Mississauga) as they hooked up numerous times in the set. Warriors would close out the set handily 25-16 to take an early 1-0 lead in the match.
Nipissing opened the 2nd set and continued to have issues on the receiving end. After shanking the first two passes the team saw, they would be called for a rotation error and be forced to use a time out to sort out the confusion. Waterloo continued to run a solidified offence behind Dimitrijevic and step out to an early 10-5 lead. The black and gold would double up the Lakers 16-8 at the technical timeout before hanging on to a lopsided 25-15 victory in the set to take a 2-0 lead.
Waterloo looked to close out the match in the 3rd set, but were going to do so with the help of 2nd year right side hitter Braden Cok (Waterloo) who was called to action. Cok had 6 kills in his season debut with the Warriors. Waterloo would lead 16-14 at the technical timeout before Nipissing took an undisciplined red card to push the score to 20-16. Waterloo would steal 5 of the next 8 rallies and close the match out with a 25-19 third set victory.
Waterloo moves to 2-1 and will hit the road next weekend and play Western on Friday and Windsor on Saturday. Warriors will return home on Saturday, November 8 to host the Queen's Gaels at 8pm in the PAC. The games can be caught on OUA TV.
Zachary Doherty (Goderich) led the Warriors with 10 kills and had 2 service aces and 4 digs in the contest. Jordan Dyck (St. Catharines) had 8 kills, 3 service aces and a couple of blocks and digs while Aidan Simone (London) had 6 kills and 4 assisted blocks. Dimitrijevic had 35 assists in the victory along with 2 digs.
Source: Waterloo Warriors
