The York University Lions volleyball teams began their 2025 campaign Friday night at their home court at Tait McKenzie Centre. With the women’s team (4-6) facing off against the Nipissing Lakers (5-5), and the men’s team (8-2) facing off against the University of Toronto Varsity Blues (6-4), both looked to get off to a strong start in the new year as the push to the playoffs begins.
Women’s Match (vs. Nipissing):
The first set was neck-and-neck, with both teams trading points throughout, with neither squad able to gain much separation. With the score of 20-17 Nipissing, the Lions roared out to a 8-0 run to close it out, with a vicious final service ace from Trinity Lam to go up 1-0 in the match. Brooklyn Parliament also contributed six kills in the set in what was an all-around team effort to claim the opening frame.
The Lions continued their momentum by going up 8-4 to start the set, but the Lakers stormed back midway through the set on a run that had it tied at 14-14 midway through. The Lakers then took an 18-14 lead, before the Lions stormed back yet again late to tie it back up at 20-20. This time, the set required extra points to decide a victor, and it was the Lakers were able to find the consecutive points needed to give them the set by a score of 27-25 and tie the match at 1-1.
Early kills from the sophomore Victoria Herrington kept the Lions in the set early on after Nipissing scored the first three points. The Lions rallied from the early defecit to go up 7-4 on five straight scores. Parliament kept up her strong play with a trio of let-set kills, which allowed the Lions to enjoy a 21-15 lead, but the Lakers slowly started to claw their way back to within two near the tail end of the set. However, York was able to regain their composure and closed out the set by a score of 25-17 off a huge run that put them up 2-1 in the match.
The Lions opened the fourth set by scoring five of the first six points. However, the Lakers responded with a 6-2 spurt of their own to go up 8-7, and the with things remaining tight until the middle of the set. Quinn McTavish, who had been solid all night, was a key piece in the fourth, with four fourth-set kills. late in the set. York pulled away late, leading by as many as 10 in the final set, as they took the fourth by the same score they did the third, 25-17, to earn a 3-1 victory over the Lakers.
Men’s Match (vs. Toronto):
The Lions went down early on but recovered, due to a flurry of kills from the two-headed monster of Martin Prinsloo and Chris Hoffman. The teams traded blows midway through the opening set, with neither time able to pull away. That was until the Lions captured a five-point lead late in the period. York took a 22-17 edge, and ultimately won the set 25-20 to go up 1-0.
The Lions looked to build on their momentum, and led for the majority of the second set, until the Varsity Blues came back late to tie the set at 16-16. Toronto then claimed a three-point lead at 22-19 and had it at set point, up 24-22. However, the Lions surged back and forced extra points, tying it at 24-24. In extras, an attack error by the Blues and a York kill sealed the set win of 26-24, putting the Lions up 2-0 in the match thanks toa come-from-behind victory.
With York looking to sweep the match, kills by Hoffman and Alex Dorling helped the red and white maintain a small yet consistent lead as the set progressed. Back-to-back Dorling kills made it 17-13 York, with the Lions seeming poised to post the sweep. However, the Varsity Blues would not go away, and managed to tie the set 18-all. York, though, responded, exploding on a 6-2 run with a final kill from Alex Ko that sealed another 25-20 set win and solidified the sweep for the Lions.
LOOKING AHEAD:
Following two strong wins Friday night, the teams will rematch again on Saturday, with the women hosting Nipissing at 4:00 and the men welcoming in the Blues at 6:00pm. Join us for Next Gen night at Tait Mckenzie Centre, with free entry permitted for those wearing OVA club gear or with a donation to the Cold Wear Drive. Coverage will also be available on OUA TV.