A week after the Redeemer Royals men's volleyball team dropped a road match to the unranked St. Clair Saints, Redeemer got back on track with an impressive victory over the No. 1 nationally-ranked Nipissing Lakers.
The Royals defeated the Lakers by a score of 3-1 on the road playing in the very tough Nipissing University gymnasium. Game scores were 23-25, 25-23, 25-23, and 25-13.
Nipissing was recently named the No. 1 ranked team in Canada after a 3-0 start to the season with wins over Niagara College, Sheridan College, and Humber College. The latest rankings can be found here: CCAA Men's Volleyball Rankings
The win for Redeemer comes on the heels of two tough defeats early in the season as the Royals fell to a strong Mohawk Mountaineers team in their home opener 3-2 and a much improved St. Clair Saints team 3-1. Prior to the weekend, the Royals had won just one out of three games with their lone victory coming against Fanshawe College.
Now the Royals sit at 3-2 after wins against Canadore College on Friday night and Nipissing University on Saturday afternoon.
The win against Nipissing raises again the optimism that surrounded the team during its preseason play. The Royals entered the 2012-2013 season having finished in second place at the pre-season Seneca Invitational, and in first place at the pre-season Humber Cup.
In the match, Redeemer's Eric Heidbuurt (Waterdown) led the team in offense with 17 total points. David Klomps (Surrey, B.C.) and Calvin Fast (St. Catharines) each had 11 points for the Royals as well. However, it was the team's defence that was the key to victory against the Lakers. Jesse Dykxhoorn (Holland Marsh) had 10 digs for Redeemer while David Klomps had 9.
Adam Leblanc had a game-high 24 points for the CIS-bound Lakers. Nipissing is competing in their final season in the OCAA as the school is set to join the OUA starting next fall.
Both Redeemer men's and women's teams swept the Canadore Panthers the night before 3-0. The men's team won with game scores of 25-22, 25-17, and 25-15 and the women's team won 25-13, 25-20, and 25-11.
On Saturday, the women's team lost to Nipissing University 3-1 (25-16, 25-12, 18-25, and 25-10). Curtiss Straatsma (Brampton) had a team-high 16 points for Redeemer.
The women's team record now sits at 2-3.
Both volleyball teams return to the court on November 23 when they host the Conestoga Condors.
Source: Redeemer University College