The York University Lions men’s volleyball team continued their winning run on Saturday evening, as they hosted the Trent Excalibur for the second leg of the doubleheader and came away to sweep the Excalibur in their second straight sets win of the weekend.
It took only three sets for the Lions to down the Excaliburs at the Tait McKenzie Centre with the help of a game-high 15-kill performance by Alexander Ko.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
The Lions got off to a hot start leading 10-3, that was fueled by an exceptional showing from the outside hitter, Daniel LaFleur, who delivered five consecutive kills. With the team’s momentum in full swing, they maintained their dominance, ultimately securing the opening set with a clever final kill executed by Jasraj Nijjar, alongside an impressive 14 assists during the set.
The second got off to a similar start with the Lions continuing with hot hands into the set, by leading 14-6. Midway through the set, the visitors put together a 7-2 run of their own to trim the deficit to 16-13. Despite the close game, the Lions remained unfazed as they regained their stride to ride a 25-18 set victory.
Nijjar quickly got the Lions on the scoreboard with a well-executed kill and a diving save, putting York up 2-0. As the third set unfolded, it evolved into a closely contested back-and-forth affair, with the score tied at 12 apiece. However, it wasn’t long before the Lions found their rhythm once again, embarking on an impressive 10-3 run to secure a 22-15 advantage. This surge was ignited by three consecutive kills from Alex Dorling. That was enough for the Lions to wrap up the set 25-15 and the game in straight sets.
LOOKING AHEAD:
Up next for the Lions is a four-game road trip, as they head over to Kingston, Ont. to take on the RMC Paladins in a back-to-back match-up kicking off on Friday, Feb. 2. The first serve is set to fly at 8:00 pm.