Men's Volleyball rallies to defeat No. 3 Fanshawe in five-set thriller
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Fanshawe (10-1, 10-1) | 25 | 22 | 25 | 18 | 13 | 2 |
|
Humber (7-4, 7-4) | 22 | 25 | 22 | 25 | 15 | 3 |
By: Stefan Gerardi
Humber Athletics Communications
ETOBICOKE – The Humber Hawks (8-4, 3rd West) upset the No. 3 Fanshawe Falcons (10-2, 1st West) in an exciting five-set clash (22-25, 25-22, 22-25, 25-18, 15-13) at North Campus Gym. After dropping the first set and looking shaky in the following two, the Hawks came storming back to extend their winning streak to four straight games.
Ottawa-native Teyven Blackmore recorded a team-high ten kills, while Michael McAlpine and Nazyr Francis co-led the Hawks in service aces. Veteran Jake Gomes led the way with 39 assists, and Alex Segui's 15 digs were a Humber-high.
Match Recap
Humber held a 2-0 record in the new year after coming off convincing victories against Boreal and Cambrian on the road; however, their first home game of 2023 was a date with the third-ranked team in the nation, the western division leading Fanshawe Falcons.
Fanshawe started the first set strong as they hurdled ahead to an early five-point lead after an 8-3 run. With energy radiating from the home crowd, the Hawks scored four unanswered points and pulled to within one. With the game close, neither team was able to pull away and take a commanding lead in the set; however, Humber failed to take the lead at any point, and Fanshawe took the first set 25-22.
The Falcons translated their winning energy over to the second set as they jumped ahead to a slight lead. Although the Hawks managed to keep the game close, they couldn't find a way to get ahead of their opponents. With the Hawks down 17-12, coach Wayne Wilkins called a timeout to motivate his team. Humber then went on a 13-5 run to not only give them their first lead of the game, but also a second set victory to knot the match at 1-1.
The Hawks began the third set strong as they controlled the lead through the first 15 rallies; however, Fanshawe went on a 9-2 run to give them a five-point lead and strong momentum. Humber came clawing back and brought themselves within three points of completing the comeback, but the resilient Falcons didn't give up and secured their second set victory.
Both sides knew the fourth set would be crucial. Humber needed a win to stay alive, while the Falcons wanted to escape North Campus Gym with their win streak intact. The Hawks came out the gate hot as they jumped ahead to a five-point lead after a 10-5 run and never looked back. By the end of the set, Fanshawe surrendered over 25 service errors which Humber took advantage of as they pushed the match to a deciding fifth set.
The final set was welcomed with roars from the Hawks' fans. The teams traded points to begin the deciding frame, and through 12 rallies, the game was knotted at six points. Humber then went on a 6-1 run to put themselves three points away from a match victory; however, the Falcons came inching back and set up an exciting finish. With the Hawks on match point, Jaydon Milne spiked the ball past the Falcons and just barely kept it in play to secure Humber's eighth victory of the season.
Humber Highlights
- Humber improves their all-time record against Fanshawe to 21-23.
- Head coach Wayne Wilkins sits three victories away from the 400-win plateau.
- The Hawks have tied their longest win streak of the 2022-23 campaign with four straight victories.
- This season, men's volleyball is now 5-1 at North Campus Gym.
- Thursday night's triumph over Fanshawe marks the team's first five-set win at home since Nov. 27, 2021, against the Mohawk Mountaineers.
What's Next?
Humber men's volleyball will be looking to maintain their perfect 2023 record against the Mohawk Mountaineers on Jan. 26. The matchup at North Campus Gym is scheduled for 8 p.m. and will be streamed live on the Hawks Sports Network.
