MEN’S VOLLEYBALL: LAKERS FALL SHORT IN ANOTHER FIVE-SET BATTLE

Box Score Looking to get back into the win column, the Nipissing Lakers men’s volleyball team continued their homestand this weekend.

The Lakers welcomed the Toronto Varsity Blues to the Robert J. Surtees Athletic Centre for the first of two matches Friday night.

Once again, Nipissing erased a 2-0 deficit, but were unable to completed the comeback, falling 3-2 to the Blues.

Early on, the teams traded points, sitting tied 7-7 to begin the match.

Neither team managed to get much of an edge until the score reached 20 and the Blues finished things off, claiming the opening set 25-21.

Nipissing started the second set strong, up 7-5 early on.

Toronto rebounded, however, outscoring the Lakers 11-4 during a run that gave them a 16-11 at the midway point of the second set.

The Lakers did manage to close the gap as they scrapped their way to within a couple points late in the set.

Down five, the Lakers went on a 10-7 run to close in on Toronto, down just 23-21 late in the second.

It took some extra time and extra points in the set, but eventually the Blues outlasted the Lakers, winning 30-28 to go up 2-0 in the match.

There was no quit in the Lakers Friday night.

Despite being down two sets, the Lakers came up big in the third.

Nipissing held a 15-12 lead midway through the set and extended that lead to 22-17 late in the set.

Toronto came back late, closing within a point, but eventually the Lakers rallied to come away with a 27-25 win to stay alive, forcing a fourth set.

The Lakers kept the momentum up, leading 5-2 early in the fourth set as they looked to force a fifth game.

The set was tied 17-17 midway through, with the Lakers looking to stay alive and the Blues looking to close things out.

Each team grabbed a small lead, but the score was once again even at 22-22 late in the set.

Nipissing finished things off thanks to a quick 3-1 run, winning 25-23 and forcing a fifth set.

In the fifth, the teams started off even, tied 3-3.

Nipissing went on a 4-1 run to grab a 7-4 lead, but the advantage quickly evaporated, as the Blues climbed back in the game.

Tied 9-9, Toronto scored four straight points to grab the lead.

From there, they hung on to edge the Lakers 15-13 in the fifth.

Jackson Young had another big match with 21 kills, Trent O’Brien had 13 and Jeremie Murray added 12 for the Lakers in the contest.

The Lakers and Blues are back on the court Saturday evening.

Match time is set for 6pm.