KINGSTON, ONT.— On Friday night during the first road trip of the regular season, the Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold men’s volleyball team fell 3-2 (25-21, 30-32, 22-25, 21-25, 18-16) against the Royal Military College (RMC) Paladins.
The Bold scored the first point of the game with a kill from outside hitter Riley Donovan. The Paladins would bounce back for the next (1-1). The first ten points of the game were traded back and forth, with notable plays from Brayden Walker with an ace and a kill by Zach Firkins.
The middle of the first continued to be a tight race. A string of service errors awarded each side of the net points (13-13).
RMC started to pull away towards the end of the frame forcing TMU to call a timeout to break the momentum. The Bold were able to tally another point to bring themselves to 24-21, but were unable to close it out.
The second set featured more back and forth action. In the early half the Bold front row of Declan Dunn, Firkins, and Walker combined for a major triple block point.
Errors would the Bold’s enemy as they tried to even the game against RMC. Aidan Suttie would go on to have a service run, tying the frame at 10-10. Suttie continued to have a phenomenal set, logging a huge kill right at the 3 meter line inching the Bold ahead 13-14.
In what was a set of inches, set two was decided in extra points. With TMU knocking at the door 30-31, RMC’s coach called a timeout to put a break in the Bold’s momentum. The strategy was unsuccessful as Walker was able to slam the door on the set 30-32.
The game was now tied at one set a piece.
The Bold’s offence came out swinging in the third with decisive kills from Walker and opposite hitter Ross Buchanan.
The Paladins and the Bold stayed neck and neck with each other in the early half of frame (8-7). The Paladins capitalized off of hitting and defensive miscues to extend their lead to 16-11, prompting the first Bold timeout of the set.
Bold substitutions were made in the hopes of turning the tides in their favour. Setter Gabriel Gonzalez Royds, York transfer Darius Best, and outside Ben Charles all entered the contest.
The changes proved useful as the Bold were able to gain some ground pushing RMC to take their timeout midway through the frame. The Bold continued to chip away at the deficit bringing themselves within two points of RMC.
Unfortunately, the Paladins took the third set. Leaving the fourth to be a must win for TMU.
The Paladins continued to press in the early points, but the Bold were able to initiate a comeback taking the lead 10-7. The excited Bold bench amplified the energy on the court allowing the Bold to find a groove. A service run from Gonzalez Royds brought the squad to 20-17.
With all cylinders firing the Bold prevailed, forcing a fifth set.
After a competitive showing, the teams flipped sides of the net with the score sitting 8-6 in the favour of the Bold. The Paladins followed scoring a pair of points (8-8). A frame of runs forced a TMU timeout at 11-11 a piece.
The fifth frame proved a tight race. Going into extra points for the second time that game.
Ultimately, RMC was able to take the fifth and final set.
The Bold return to play tomorrow Nov. 7 again against the Paladins. First serve is scheduled for 3:30pm EST. Live statistics can be viewed on oua.ca and fans can follow @tmuboldmvb on Instagram for highlights.
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