MRU star Byam scores clutch points as Griffins drop three close sets in 3-0 loss to Cougars

Jefferson Hagen
MacEwan Athletics

CALGARY – It would be a moral victory they could take away if this didn’t keep happening far too often for head coach Brad Poplawski’s liking.

The Griffins men’s volleyball team lost in straight sets to Mount Royal University, but all three of them could have gone either way (25-23, 25-23, 25-23). 

They only went one way, though, which was the problem.

“Alex (Lyndon) our setter, one of our captains, said after the game ‘It’s not enough to be close,’ ” relayed Poplawski. “I don’t want to say frustration (is how we’re feeling), but at some point it’s not enough to just compete. Yeah, it’s good that it was close, but at the end of the day, it’s a three-set loss. 

“We’re just not in any way finding a way to get it done. We were passing the ball really well tonight, but offensively just couldn’t score enough to have results.”

MacEwan falls to 0-11 on the season with the defeat, while MRU improves to 7-4 in the Canada West standings.

All three sets were similar as MRU’s star opposite Chris Byam had the clinching point each time.

“They made plays,” said Poplawski. “We had leads. We were up 17-14 in the first and didn’t close it out. We talked about Byam being important going into the weekend and he got the winning kill all three sets at 24-23 for them. Their big guy was big when it really mattered.”

Sometimes with a player of his ilk – a national team player this past summer – you just concede there might not be much you can do. But that wasn’t the case on those set points.

“That’s the thing,” explained Poplawski. “We’ve had times where he’s just gone over the top, but it wasn’t that. Two of three were tips. It wasn’t his fastball he was scoring on. They were good shots, but I guarantee you if we hit that shot, they pick it up. 

“Obviously, when a big attacker’s jumping sometimes you’re a little on your heels unfortunately. You shouldn’t be, but it happens. All three of them were in rallies. 

“We keep talking about wanting to give ourselves those opportunities and see if we can be the team that finds a way to make those plays. It’s unbelievable – three-straight sets. We just found a way to not do it.”

Exact stats were unavailable from MRU, who were working on correcting the file at press time, but a few players passed the eye test for Poplawski.

“Individual (performances), I thought Alex distributed the ball really well tonight,” he said. “I thought both our middles did some good things tonight. They obviously have really good middles that pose a really tough matchup. 

“I thought both of them chipped in with some timely kills. Those guys did some really good things tonight and showed the good work they’ve been putting in.”

The night was an emotional one for both teams who participated in a Canada West-wide moment of silence after a tragic motor vehicle accident in Kamloops, B.C. earlier this week claimed the life of a Thompson Rivers University men’s volleyball player and put two other WolfPack players in hospital with critical injuries.

“Tonight’s game was obviously played by everyone with very heavy hearts,” said Poplawski. “We send our love and support to Pat Hennely and everyone at TRU.”

The teams will meet again on Saturday (7 p.m., Canada West TV).