Cooney, Code lead Brock to sweep over RMC

On Saturday, Jan. 6, the Brock Badgers men’s volleyball team returned to action at Bob Davis Gymnasium. The home side defeated the visiting RMC Paladins in three sets (25-18, 25-15, 25-11). 

With the win, Ian Eibbitt earns his first Ontario University Athletics (OUA) victory as a head coach.

“It’s a tremendous honour to be a head coach of any OUA program and to have my first one here at Brock is special,” said Eibbitt. ” I’m really happy for the guys. They were prepared tonight and it showed, and that’s a win for them.”  

Outside hitters Devin Cooney and Kyler Code both earned double-digit points on the evening, finishing with 22.5 and 12.5, respectively. Cooney had a remarkable seven service aces to go along with 14 kills and 1.5 blocks, while Code notched ten kills, two service aces and 0.5 blocks. Starting setter Grant Reddon distributed and added three kills, while tying for the team lead with four digs alongside libero Adrian Gaspar. 

Brock started strong, as Code nailed two service aces and a kill en route to a 9-4 run. A Grant Reddon ace restored the five-point Badgers’ advantage at 13-8. All six players on the court registered a kill in the set as Brock earned a 25-18 set one victory.  

The same story occurred in the second set, as Brock got out to another early lead, with back-to-back aces from Cooney causing RMC to call a timeout at 7-2. The Paladins chipped away and reduced the lead, tying things up at ten. Eibbitt elected to not call a timeout and this move paid immediate dividends, as the Badgers continued to use the strong serving from Cooney to restore their large advantage at 20-12. The Badgers closed out the set to take it 25-15.  

RMC came out strong in the third, going out on a 6-3 run. Unfazed, the Badgers rattled off three straight points of their own to tie things up. Code, Cooney and Reddon combined for five consecutive kills to bring Brock’s lead to six, forcing an RMC timeout at 14-8. This did not stop Brock, as Cooney and Code hit back-to-back kills to bring the string of kills to an impressive seven.  An RMC attack error sealed the third-set win and sweep.  

Up next, Brock (7-2) will play the second game of a double-header weekend against the RMC Paladins (0-9) on Sunday, Jan. 7 at Bob Davis Gymnasium at 3 p.m. Tickets are available at brocku.universitytickets.com.