The York University Lions volleyball teams played host to the Western Mustangs in the first half of their weekend double-header at Tait McKenzie Centre on Friday night. The 2-2 women’s side sought to topple the undefeated Mustangs, while the 4-0 men’s team looked to continue its best start in twenty years.
Women’s Match:
Julia Typa continued her excellent season with a service ace to put the Lions up 1-0. After that, Western would take control, marching out to an 18-10 lead. However, York would rally to make the set competitive, led by kills from Typa, Victoria Herrington, Quinn McTavish and Quincy Johnson, as well as service aces from Amari Endes, and Meghan Kociancic. York’s rally led to the set reaching the 24-24 deadlock. Ultimately, the Mustangs secured the set in extra points, 27-25 to take a 1-0 lead.
York found themselves in a 6-0 hole to open the second set. Unlike the first set, Western would hold firm and prevent the Lions from making a push. Brooklyn Parliament would pace York in kills for the set with five, but the Mustangs took the set 25-16 to gtab a 2-0 lead.
The third set was back and forth from the outset, as York looked to stay in the match. The Lions were buoyed by kills from Typa, Johnson, Herrington and McTavish. York would win the set 25-19 and stay in the match, trailing Western 2-1.
Despite York keeping pace early in the fourth at 9-9, a 7-2 run immediately following from the Mustangs dug too deep a hole for the home side. The Mustangs would walk away with the set by a score of 25-18 and win the match 3-1 to remain undefeated at 3-0.
Men’s Match:
The Lions and Mustangs battled through a hotly-contested opening set. York’s efforts were led by Martin Prinsloo, Alex Dorling, Alex Ko, each recording multiple kills in the set. York would win the set 25-20, with the winning point coming on a bad set from Western’s Michael Jones.
In another competitive set, this time, it would be the Mustangs that came out on top. The Lions had a solid offensive output, with eleven kills and an ace by Ko. He, Dorling, Dennis Cota and Mason Doering would also record blocks to put points on the board for York in the second. However, Western prevailed 25-21 and tied the match 1-1.
York had a five-point run early in the third set, propelled by two aces by Chris Hoffman. With a lead of 14-13, York would go on a 9-0 run, forcing a plethora of Western errors, to take a 23-13 lead. The Lions never trailed the Mustangs in the entire set, as the Lions roared to a 25-17 third-set victory and a 2-1 lead in the match.
Western would rebound in the fourth set, winning it 25-20 and tying the match 2-2. The Lions led the set 15-11 and looked poised to close it out in four. However, the Mustangs put together a 14-5 run to finish the set, thanks in large part to some great work at the net. Western forced a fifth and deciding set with a 25-20 fourth-set win.
The fifth and final set saw the teams exchanging mini runs early, with Western going up 3-1 before York scored the next four to go up 5-3. York held that lead for most of the set as the Lions would ride on the strength of their defence. The Lions forced three errors in that set, including a block by Prinsloo and Dorling that gave York their penultimate point of the set. York would close out with a kill by young rookie Chris Hoffman, winning the set 15-10, and the match 3-2, to stay unbeaten at 5-0.
Lions outside hitter Martin Prinsloo set a career high with 21 kills in this one, to go along with four aces, a solo block and two assisted blocks.
LOOKING AHEAD:
The Lions volleyball teams will hit the road next weekend on November 15 and 16, facing different opponents for the first time this season. The women’s side will face the Ottawa Gee-Gees, while the men will face the Nipissing Lakers. Times for the women’s matches are 7:00 pm on November 15, and 4:00 pm on November 16, while the men’s matches go at 8:00 pm on November 15 and 4:00 pm on November 16.