The York University Lions volleyball teams hit the road on Friday night to two drastically different destinations. The Lions women’s team made the long trip out to Thunder Bay to battle the Lakehead Thunderwolves, while the men’s squad made the quick bus trip down to Hamilton to duel the McMaster Marauders.
Both teams were coming off splits last weekend at the hands of Nipissing and Toronto, respectively, after winning the openers before dropping the finales on Saturday. A win for the women over the Thunderwolves would be big, as Lakehead entered play Friday holding the eighth and final OUA playoff spot over the Lions. For the men, a win over McMaster would give them the chance to move back into a tie with the Queen’s Gaels for second in the OUA.
Women’s Game:
The Thunderwolves were able to march out to a 5-2 lead to start the first set, but York would eventually even things up at 10-10. They then went on a 4-1 run to grab a 15-11 lead and had a 21-18 advantage after a timeout. From there, the Lions would go on another 4-1 run to claim the set 25-19.
After the teams played to a 3-3 tie to begin the second, York would control the momentum the rest of the way, taking leads of 7-4, 16-13 and 19-16. The Lions would close out the home team by forcing an error to take the second set 25-18 to set up a potential match set in the third.
York started the third set scoring three of the first four points, as Lakehead played catch-up throughout the set. Trailing 18-14, the Thunderwolves would lurk closer, battling back to make things interesting at 22-all. However, the red & white would close, with an Amari Endes kill capping the set at 25-23 and giving the Lions a 3-0 straight-set win.
It was a solid night for Victoria Herrington and Brooklyn Parliament, who co-led the team in kills with 12 apiece. Herrington was also strong on the defensive end, registering a team-leading seven digs.
Men’s Game:
York was able to get out to a 6-4 start to the match, powered by two kills from rookie Chris Hoffman. McMaster would soon find their footing, going on a 12-1 run on their way to a 16-7 lead to force a York timeout. Trailing 21-13, the Lions would go on a 9-3 run to get back in it, down 24-22. McMaster was able to hold off the visitors’ push, however, clinching the set on a Jared Kuiken kill to win it 25-22 and go up 1-0.
York responded with a much better second set. The two sides traded points to a 12-all, but the visitors would take the momentum from there, going on a 13-5 spurt run the rest of the way to take the set 25-17. Hoffman had four kills in the set, while Alex Ko and Dennis Cota each contributed two, as York tied the match up at 1-1.
Much like the second set, the third was evenly-matched. York’s efforts were led by Nathan Luken, who had four kills in the third. Cota also stood out with three kills of his own. However, the Lions struggled to find consistency, never scoring more than three straight points. Down 24-19, the Lions went on a 3-0 run trim the deficit to two, but McMaster again extinguished hopes of a comeback – again on a Kuiken kill – winning the set 25-22 to take a 2-1 lead and put the Lions on the brink.
Needing to win to extend the match to five, York fought hard to remain in the contest. The Lions were able to lurk with the Marauders, cutting what was a 15-12 lead to one at 17-16. However, the Lions would be blanked from there, as McMaster closed on a 9-0 run to win the set 25-16 and win the match 3-1.
LOOKING AHEAD:
The Lions men’s team will meet the Marauders once again on Saturday afternoon beginning at 4:00 pm from the Burridge Gym in Hamilton. Meanwhile, the women’s team looks to sweep the the Thunderwolves in the second game of their doubleheader. Opening serve of that one is set to fly at 6:00 pm from Thunder Bay.
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