In the second semi-final match of the CCAA Men’s National Volleyball Championship on day 2 in London, Ontario on Friday, the #2 ranked Red Deer Kings offense took over as they defeated the #5 ranked VIU Mariners in four sets (25-19, 25-11, 27-29, 25-19).
In the first set, both teams’ offenses looked very crisp. All-Canadian Braydon Brouwer started off fast for the Mariners with two of the first three points in the set but the Kings held the early two point lead. The Kings slowly increased the lead and were up five, 15-10, after a huge one handed block by Regan Fathers. The Mariners continued to fight and kills by Bouwer and Ryan Evans had VIU back within two but the Kings balanced attack proved to be too much as Red Deer pulled away and took the first set 25-19.
The Kings jumped out to an impressive 7-1 lead in the second set, with four kills by Regan Fathers. To compliment Fathers on the outside, Red Deer started to feed the ball into the middle attackers. The Kings extended their lead to double digits, 17-7, controlling the play at the net. VIU made a small push but Red Deer won the set 25-11 and took a commanding two set lead.
In the third, the Mariners came out with more energy and slowly gained a four point lead, 10-6. The Kings battled back and took the lead on a stuff block by Adam Turlejski. The Kings continued to feed the ball to Fathers and led by as many as four but the Mariners were not going to just give up. Kills by Evans and Devon Jennings kept VIU in the game as they would come all the way back after being down 24-20 to tie the game at 24. After both teams went back and forth at the net, VIU would make the full comeback and take the set 29-27, forcing a fourth set.
Red Deer was focussed to start the fourth set and pulled ahead 6-3. The Kings were unstoppable at the net but missed serves were keeping the game close. The Mariners started to make some errors of their own as the Kings began to pull away with the set. Leading 18-12, Ty Moorman hit a massive kill to put the Kings up seven. Red Deer closed out the set 25-19 and won the match 3-1.
Red Deer’s setter Luke Brisbane was named the Player of the Game for the Kings while middle Ryan Evans was the Player of the Game for the Mariners.
In a clash of the top seeded teams and a rematch of last year’s final, the Kings will now meet the #1 ranked Titans de Limoilou in the National Championship Final on Saturday, March 11 at 8pm.
Red Deer’s Player of the Game:
Luke Brisbane – 51 assists, 11 digs, 2 kills
VIU’s Player of the Game:
Ryan Evans – 12 points (11 kills, 1 ace), 2 digs
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