(FREDERICTON, NB) The UNB REDS completed a RSEQ men’s volleyball weekend sweep of the Dalhousie Tigers with a 3-1 win Saturday afternoon at UNB’s Richard J. Currie Center.
UNB won with scores of 23-25, 25-20, 25-23, and 25-16.
Setter Lucas Maffia (Victoria, BC) has a match-high 42 assists and added nine digs to earn Tim Horton’s Player of the Game honours.
“We really needed these games and we really showed up, solidifying our place in the league standings, it was very important for us,” said Maffia.
The action was fierce and back-and-forth in the opening set.
The teams were tied several times before the Tigers pulled out a 25-23 win.
Dal rode momentum into the second set, racing out to a 6-1 lead that prompted a UNB timeout.
The REDS would rally, closing the deficit to two points at 14-12, which prompted a Dal timeout.
An Emil Pedersen (Slagelse, DEN) block pulled the REDS even at 15-15 and the teams traded points until UNB pulled ahead 21-18.
The home team then capitalized on three consecutive Dal errors to score the final three points, taking a 25-20 set win, and tying the match at a set apiece.
The third set saw more back-and-forth action, with leads only extending a point or two.
When the Tigers pushed a lead to 15-12, REDS’ head coach Dan McMorran called timeout.
UNB scored the next four points to take a 16-15 lead and force a Dal timeout.
The REDS then rode a strong power game to a 25-23 set victory and a two-sets-to-one lead.
UNB quickly established a 6-2 lead in the fourth set on the strength of a pair of kills by Rafael Hilario (Rio de Janeiro, BRA).
A Maffia kill pushed UNB’s lead to 10-5.
While the Tigers would fight, the REDS proved too much, winning the set 25-15 and taking the match 3-1.
“We had some serving and hitting errors that kind of let them back in at times, but we stayed on course and kept fighting,” said Maffia. “That last set, we showed what we can do and that’s what won us the game.”
Hilario finished the match with 16 kills for the REDS while Pedersen had 14. Scott Mann (Winnipeg, MB) led UNB with 11 digs.
Michael Donovan (London, ON) led the Tigers with 16 kills while Justin Cross (Winnipeg, MB) registered 11 digs. Thomas Watchman (Edmonton, AB) had 32 assists for Dal.
“It’s not our first rodeo down one set,” Maffia added. “We’ve been learning. Slowly, our first set is getting better, it needs to be a lot better, but we’re learning and getting better.”
With the win, the REDS are now 7-7, good for third place in the RSEQ standings.
Dal is now 2-10 and in fifth place.
The Tigers return home to face Laval on Friday. First serve is set for 8:00pm.
The REDS next action is Friday, February 9th, when they visit Sherbrooke. Game time is 7:00pm Atlantic.
RECAP BY: Andy Campbell/UNB Athletics
PHOTOS BY: James West/for UNB Athletics