For Dal’s men’s volleyball team, the hope is their two games this past weekend will foreshadow what’s to come at the AUS championship.
In what was essentially a warmup to the league championship, the Tigers came out looking like the stronger outfit. Dal successfully wrestled home court advantage in the finals from the UNB Varsity Reds with two successive victories Feb. 10 and Feb. 11 at the Dalplex.
“Winning this weekend got us a home game on Friday. That’s all it did.” said Tigers head coach Dan Ota. “We’ve got to go out and win two very big games next weekend, or two of three, and it’s going to be tough. They’re a very good team.”
A lot is on the line in the hotly anticipated championship rematch. Dal is hoping to avenge their defeat last season when the V-Reds brought a heartbreaking end to the Tigers’ 24-year stranglehold on conference supremacy.
After a 3 – 1 win on Feb. 10, back-and-forth play remained the theme for both sides the next day. The teams would ultimately trade sets, but it was Dal who never gave the edge. Game scores were 25 – 23, 18 – 25, 25 – 13, 22 – 25 and 15 – 7.
UNB head coach Dan McMorran said his group lacked the steady play they needed.
“The way things were going, we lost a set, we win one dominantly. We lost a set, we win one dominantly, and then we lost a set. If there were six sets I think we might have won the sixth one fairly dominantly, too.
“We’re either really high on top of the wave or the wave has crashed, so, you know, what we have to do is obviously be a little more consistent.”
Although he had a game-high 22 kills, the Tigers did a commendable job containing UNB’s Julio Fernandez. As a counterpoint, the outside hitter also had 18 errors.
Dal’s pair of victories is the team’s first at home since late November. The team has overcome some adversity since then, most notably the departure of the Bremner brothers after the holidays.
Tigers setter Angus Rhuland said the team has come together better as a unit.
“I think a lot of guys were in shock and let down that guys would quit mid-season, so, at first, everyone was pissed off but I think we turned that around and used it as momentum.”
Rhuland, along with graduating teammates Graeme Higgins, Daniel You, Travis MacLean and Alex Bell-Morrato received plaques before the game in recognition of their time with the black and gold.
The AUS championships open at home Feb. 17 at 7 p.m. Game 2 takes place in Fredericton on Feb. 19 and if necessary Game 3 will be at the Dalplex next weekend on Feb. 25 at 7 p.m.
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