Men’s volleyball fends off UBC in exhibition
Two Dalhousie rookies went through a baptism by fire in their first ever university game last Sunday, playing what might be the most integral position in volleyball. It was a game they won’t soon forget.
With established starting setter Angus Rhuland nursing a dislocated shoulder and last season’s backup Justin Kilb leaving the team due to concussion issues, the stage was set for an opening at setter. Rookie Robbie Johnson, with a little assistance from fellow first-year William Bremner, took on the task commendably, able to lead his elder teammates to a tight 3 – 2 victory against the University of British Columbia at the Dalplex for the squad’s first preseason game of the year.
Johnson admitted he was taken aback when learning he would get some quality court time in his first game as a Tiger.
“I was kind of expecting maybe two years down the road I would see some starting time, but coming in right from the start? [Tigers head coach] Dan’s prepared me for this right from the start, I guess, when I found out about Angus. He said, ‘Yeah, you’re going to start a lot more than you’re thinking,’” recalled Johnson, smiling.
The vacancy at setter will be short-lived, however, as Rhuland, along with veteran middle Daniel You, tending a broken thumb, are expected to return to the lineup in a number of weeks. You will likely not return for the Quebec interlock tournament at the end of the month.
Dal head coach Dan Ota was pleased with his team’s victory against a Canada West club, especially considering the fresh talent he had setting.
“I thought that Robbie Johnson did a really good job. You could tell he was a little nervous at times,” said Ota, “but I thought once he got comfortable out there he distributed the ball really well and he was pretty good for most of the match.”
The Tigers were down 2 – 1 after the third set and looked the part during the mistake-laden frame, featuring many unforced errors from serves sailing beyond the court to botched kills. Dal couldn’t bounce back as the set progressed, falling 25 – 14. The team’s outlook looked bleak at that instance of the match.
“We talked about it in between sets and tried to make the adjustments that we could and not let the points of the past bring us down. We tried to look toward the future and forget about each and every point we lose, just move on to the next one,” said middle Angus Campbell. “We made less errors in the fourth.”
Game scores were 28 – 26, 21 – 25, 14 – 25, 25 – 22 and 15 – 13.
The men’s volleyball team had much to be encouraged about on Thanksgiving Monday as they once again held off the pesky Thunderbirds on home court, also winning that contest in five sets, 3 – 2.
The Tigers took the first frame before returning to victories in the fourth and fifth set. The scores were 25 – 20, 17 – 25, 23 – 25, 25 – 21 and 15 – 11.
The black and gold head to Quebec for their first interlock tournament of the year at the end of the month. Season opener is Nov. 11 against the defending champion UNB.
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