The No. 10 nationally ranked University of Toronto Varsity Blues men’s volleyball team faced off against the No. 5 Queen’s Gaels on Friday (Nov. 29) night in the ARC Main Gym, coming up just short in a thrilling five set contest.
Toronto fought valiantly throughout the five-set marathon but ultimately fell with set scores of 25-23, 23-25, 25-22, 24-26, 17-19.
The match was a roller-coaster of momentum shifts, with the Varsity Blues taking the opening set before the Gaels responded in kind. Toronto managed to edge out a third-set win, showcasing their resilience. However, Queen’s narrowly escaped with just two-point victories in extra points of both the fourth and decisive fifth sets, sealing the contest in dramatic fashion.
The Varsity Blues saw standout performances from their key players. including fourth-year outside hitter Jayden Talsma who led the team in kills with an impressive 21, while adding a block assist to earn a total of 21.5 points. Fellow fourth-year outside hitter Hunter Arulpragasam contributed 15 kills and a service ace for 16 points, while Michael Hickey orchestrated the offence with 33 assists. Defensively, Hickey and fourth-year libero Rylan Armstrong topped the Blues with 12 digs apiece.
The Queen’s Gaels demonstrated their strength with a balanced attack, which saw four players reach double-digit points, led by Zig Licis who tallied 20 kills and three aces for 23 points overall. Setter Chris Zimmerman distributed 34 assists to keep the offence running smoothly, while Toby Jeffries registered a game-high 16 digs through the five set contest.
Despite the loss, Toronto showcased grit and determination, pushing one of the league’s top teams to the limit. The Varsity Blues will look to build on this hard-fought performance as they prepare to face off against Queen’s again tomorrow (Nov. 30) afternoon in Kingston, Ont. First serve is scheduled for 4 p.m., with all the action available to stream online at oua.tv.