The Brock Badgers’ men’s volleyball team remains undefeated at home this season, beating the Western Mustangs in both games this weekend to improve to 13-3 and remain tied atop the OUA standings.
Game 1: Win 3-1 (25-23, 25-21, 24-26, 25-17)
Devin Cooney led the Badgers with 15 kills and 10 digs, as setter Grant Reddon contributed with 41 assists en route to the 3-1 victory.
The first set featured a tremendous display of volleyball dexterity as both teams excelled in net play.
The Badgers smashed 14 kills while only committing two attacking errors on 24 attempts leading to a .500 hitting percentage – their highest of any set all weekend – as the Mustangs hit 15 kills on 29 total attempts accounting for a .448 hitting percentage, also their highest of the weekend.
The entire set was back-and-forth until Brock’s interim head coach Ian Eibbitt brilliantly subbed Adam Shapcott into the game, who delivered an ace forcing set point and leading to the nail-biting 25-23 win.
In set two, the Badgers quickly jumped out to a 5-1 lead, however, the Mustangs repelled the hostilities at the Bob Davis Gymnasium, clawing back and tying the set 13 all.
However, the Badgers managed to regain control, closing the set on a 12-8 run to win the set 25-21 and take the two-set advantage.
In the third set, reminiscent of how the second set began, Brock got another 4-1 lead, but this time the Mustangs closed the gap and even took a lead of their own.
The teams traded runs to close the set, including a late Badger run led by Kylar Code and KJ Robinson kills, negating Western set points and levelling the set at 24.
Unfortunately, the Mustangs capitalized on the following two points, smashing two of their 14 kills in the set to win the set 26-24, forcing a fourth set.
In the fourth, both teams struggled mightily to convert on attacking opportunities. The Badgers managed only seven kills on 20 attempts, including five errors, while the Mustangs hit a dreadful -.038 per cent, registering more errors (8) than kills (7).
Western’s errors came at a terrible time given five errors came in quick succession, widening the Badgers’ lead from two to seven. Brock held on for the 25-17 victory, winning Friday’s contest 3-1.
Game 2: Win 3-2 (19-25, 19-25, 25-15, 25-21, 15-10)
Code leads the Badgers to the comeback victory, tallying a team-high 22 kills and eight digs, preserving a perfect 8-0 home road.
Code made his presence felt right from the opening serve, registering the first of 64 Brock kills in the match, before the Mustangs dominated the following set and a half.
Western got a 7-4 lead early and never looked back, countering every Brock push with an even greater thrust of their own. The Mustangs took the opener 25-19 before they elevated their game in the second.
Western hit an efficient .421 per cent in the set, tallying 10 kills on only 19 total attempts. Hitters Kendall Homenick and Blake Fenwick combined for most of the Mustangs’ offensive prowess leading to numerous multi-point leads en route to another 25-19 win, pushing Brock to the brink of defeat.
However, the Badgers – who have been resilient all season – showcased their OUA-leading offence in the third.
Brock, the league leaders in kills per set, averaging 11.9 per set, topped their set average, smashing 13 and 18 kills in the third and fourth set respectively.
The Badgers showed their versatility in the third, as six different Badgers registered a kill, leading to a much-needed 25-15 third set win as momentum carried into the fourth.
Brock continued to pour on the pressure, taking the lead early and never looking back. Sauli Lianga hit four of his nine kills in the set as Cooney contributed with three of his 21 kills including an ace, as the Badgers levelled the match at two sets apiece forcing a fifth and deciding set.
In the decisive set, the Badgers – who were down 4-2 at the start – rallied for six straight points to take a stranglehold of the set, before Reddon’s game-high 57th assist found Lianga, who sealed the 15-10 victory for Brock’s 13th win of the season.
Next up for the Badgers is a pair of games next weekend in Hamilton against rival McMaster Marauders (12-4). For more information on the Brock Badgers men’s volleyball team, head to gobadgers.ca.