LONDON, Ont. - In the third match of the day, the No. 6-seeded VIU Mariners upset the No. 3-seeded Mohawk Mountaineers in straight sets 25-22, 25-21 and 25-23.
CCAA Quarter-Final #3: VIU Mariners 3, Mohawk Mountaineers 0
In the first set, after tying the game at six, the Mariners scored three straight points forcing Mohawk to take time. After the timeout, VIU's middle blocker Ryan Evans put up a huge solo block to push the Mariners lead to four. After a missed serve by VIU, Mohawk's Eric Girard had a massive block of his own for the Mountaineers to close the gap to just two, 14-12. The set remained close, with Mohawk tying the game on a number of occasions, but the Mountaineers could just never take the lead. VIU would win the first set by a score of 25-22.
The Mariners jumped ahead 6-2 in the second after back-to-back stuff blocks and the Mountaineers called another early timeout. With the score 12-7 for VIU, a kill by Mohawk's Nathan Delguidice electrified the crowd and gave the Mountaineers some life. Mohawk scored four straight and were within one before the Mariners took over at the net. VIU would score six of the next seven points including a pair of kills by Vedran Obradovic but Mohawk was not done yet. Again, the Mountaineers were able to claw back to within one but in the end, the Mariners pulled away and won 25-21.
Teams went kill for kill to start the third with both middle attacks being unable to be stopped. Mohawk led by as many as two, 11-9, but VIU came back and took the lead at 16-15 on an ace by Zach Grigg. The Mariners held the lead the rest of the set, winning a tight final set 25-23.
All-Canadian Braydon Brouwer was named the Player of the Game for VIU while outside hitter Delguidice was the Player of the Game for the Mountaineers.
VIU Player of the Game: Braydon Brouwer - 12 points (10 kills, 1 ace, 1 block), 3 digs
Mohawk Player of the Game: Nathan Delguidice - 21 kills, 3 digs
CCAA Quarter-Final #4: Red Deer Kings 3, Fanshawe Falcons 0
In the final match of day 1, the No. 7-seeded host Falcons fell to the No. 2-seeded Red Deer Kings in three straight sets 25-23, 25-21 and 25-18.
On the first point of the set a packed house exploded as Fanshawe's James Jackson scored on a kill overtop of the Red Deer block to give the host Falcons the early lead. No team led by more than one until an ace by Sam Otten gave Fanshawe the two-point advantage. Red Deer came back with three straight to take their first lead of the game, 8-7. With the score 9-7 for the Kings, teams would side out on every point until Red Deer scored two straight at 15-12 including a big block by Ty Moorman. Red Deer increased their lead to four but after a Fanshawe timeout, the Falcons closed the gap to just one, 18-17. After falling behind by as many as five, 22-17, the Falcons clawed back and were within two but the Kings won the set 25-23.
Red Deer jumped out to an early 11-4 lead in the second set including a pair of aces by outside hitter Regan Fathers. The Kings continued to role and led by as many as eight, 14-6, but Fanshawe wasn't ready to give up. The Falcons slowly chipped away and were within four but Red Deer closed out the set and won by a final score of 25-21.
In the third, with the game tied at six, the Kings scored three straight to once again take an early lead. The Falcons fought back and were within one after a huge kill by Jackson on the outside brought the gym to their feet. Red Deer's Fathers was one fire, scoring kill after kill from the outside, helping push the Kings lead to six, 18-12, before the Falcons called their final timeout of the set. Red Deer was too strong down the stretch and won the set 25-18 to take the match in three straight sets.
Red Deer's outside hitter Regan Fathers was named the Player of the Game for the Kings and outside hitter Otten was the Player of the Game for the Falcons.
Red Deer Player of the Game: Regan Fathers - 19 points (14 kills, 5 aces), 7 digs
Fanshawe Player of the Game: Sam Otten - 10 points (8 kills, 2 aces), 7 digs
More information:
Box Scores: ccaa.ca/sports/mvball/championship/schedule/mvb2017
Photos: www.flickr.com/photos/ccaasportsacsc/albums/72157678128493111
Archived Broadcasts: www.falconstv.ca/ccaa-mens-volleyball-championship/
Source: Fanshawe College/CCAA Communications