TORONTO – After claiming their first wins of 2024 against Trent two weeks ago, the TMU men’s volleyball team has struggled to keep the momentum going. Their loss on Friday night against Nipissing puts the Bold at 6-9, their second consecutive loss after falling to McMaster last week. The straight sets defeat (25-13, 25-20, 25-21) keeps the Bold at four conference victories for the season, which puts them 9th in the OUA. With the top eight teams making the playoffs, the Bold hold games in hand over Waterloo and Toronto, with this weekend representing an important opportunity for the Bold to gain ground.
“Crunch time probably was the start of this weekend and we knew that,” said head coach Niko Rukavina. “Crunch time is heightened now.”
Despite Nipissing’s 2-10 record, they jumped out to an early 6-1 lead in the first set. The Bold have been hampered by slow starts to begin sets throughout 2024 – evident in their losses to Western and McMaster – and that trend would continue tonight.
The Bold quickly would find themselves down 15-6 before calling their second timeout of the set. The Lakers’ lead was the result of a gaudy .615 hitting percentage through the first twenty-one points of the set. Coming out of the timeout Alex King attempted to slow the Nipissing momentum, scoring two kills and a service ace, but the Lakers’ impressive hitting display continued. Self-inflicted errors would ultimately kill the Bold’s comeback chances in the set after a King service brought TMU to within nine. It would be the closest they’d get, as they dropped the first set 25-13.
“They played well, it’s tough to come into our gym, especially from North Bay,” said Rukavina. “But I think it was more on our side in the errors and decisions we made.”
As the second set got underway, it told a different story from the first. The Lakers continued to torch the Bold through their high hitting percentage. It differed from the first, however, with Nipissing mistakes, as the Lakers allowed the Bold to keep pace behind several service errors and net violations. The score would be level at eight and then again at twelve. It wasn’t until a Nipissing block and the subsequent service game that the Lakers were able to establish a multi-point lead in the set at 20-16.
The Bold would have one last chance to salvage the set on an Evan Muoa service, however, another net violation would sink the Bold’s chances. Throughout the second set the Bold recorded thirteen errors (eight attacking and five service), allowing Nipissing to capture a 25-20 set win.
“How many errors we gave up got us,” said Rukavina. “And we just aren’t good when we’re down and not winning the first set.”
Needing a win in the third set, the Bold responded strongly, quickly claiming a lead. However, just as quickly, Nipissing evened the score, putting the third set on a similar course as the second.
Nipissing would eventually open a slight 13-10 lead that would incrementally grow to 19-12 as the game reached its conclusion. The Bold seemed unable to get out of their own way at many stages, again racking up double digit errors in the set. The Lakers would carry this lead to a 25-21 set win, giving them the straight sets victory.
“It’s fun to have doubleheaders and it’s good to have a second game to have a little revenge.”
The Bold will look to avenge their loss tomorrow night, as they face the Lakers in a rematch on Saturday with coverage beginning at 6 p.m.