REDS Finish Weekend Sweep Over Carabins

(FREDERICTON, NB) The UNB REDS defeated the Université de Montréal Carabins 3-1 to complete a weekend sweep Saturday afternoon at UNB’s Currie Center.

The REDS won in four sets with scores of 19-25, 25-22, 25-23, and 26-4.

Jacob Harris (Clarenville, NL) led the REDS with 17 kills and 10 digs, and Rafael Hilario (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) followed close behind with 16 kills and 8 digs. Lucas Maffia (Victoria, BC) earned the Tim Hortons Player of the Game honours with his game-winning block.

The Carabins jumped out to an early 3-0 lead over the REDS, featuring an impressive kill by Alexis Tournier (Gatineau, QC).

Hilario brought the REDS within one with four kills to make it 6-5 for the visitors. The Carabins would go on another 3-0 run to increase their lead to 9-5.

With an impressive diving volley, Maxime St-Denis (Ottawa, ON) set Pierre-Charles Latour-Bourgeois (Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC) up for the kill shot, giving the Carabins a 22-17 lead.

The set finished with a service error from the REDS, and the Carabins took the match 25-19.

The second set opened with both teams exchanging the lead.

The Carabins took charge, going on a five-point run, led by two kills by Tournier to make it 11-7. However, the REDS would counter with a block by Harris, a kill by Lex Guimond (Baie-Sainte Anne, NB), and an ace from Nick Glynn (Fredericton, NB) to jump ahead 14-12.

The REDS used that momentum to build their lead to 23-19 with a kill by Guimond and ultimately take the second set, 25-22.

Despite a close battle to start the third set, the REDS were able to jump ahead with a kill and block each from Hilario and Shamus Cormier (Bathurst, NB), to make it 6-3. The Carabins battled back with kills by Tournier and Marc-Antoine Dion (Wendover, ON). A kill shot from Tournier, tied the set 23-23. But it didn’t matter as UNB’s Nick Glynn (Fredericton, NB) would help his team to secure a 25-23 set win.

A huge block from Glynn, Harris, and Guimond gave the RED momentum, staring off the fourth set 4-1.

The REDS held their early lead throughout, with the help from Hilario, who nailed a cross-court kill, landing the ball just inside the boundary line to make it 13-12. Both teams demonstrated impressive efforts, with a match-tying kill by Frederick Bouliane (Gatineau, QC) for the Carabins, followed by two more Harris kills, as UNB held a narrow lead, 23-22.

In a nail-biting finish, Maffia and Guimond came in clutch for the REDS with a massive block, finishing the fourth set 26-24 and winning the game, 3-1.

The REDS host the Dalhousie Tigers at the Currie Center for a weekend series. First serve begins Friday at 8:00 pm.

RECAP BY: Madison Tucker/UNB Athletics

PHOTOS BY: James West/ for UNB Athletics