OSHAWA, Ont. – In Durham College's first home men's volleyball game of the season, the Lords fell to the Canadore Panthers 3-2 (19-25, 25-21, 25-21, 24-26, 8-15).
 
This is the first time since 2009-10 that the Durham Lords have opened their season with back-to-back losses, as they started with a 3-0 loss in Barrie against the Georgian Grizzlies to open the 2017-18 season last Thursday. In 2009-10, they opened conference play by losing 3-0 to Seneca on Oct. 15 and to 3-2 to Trent on Oct. 29.
 
Things started slow on Sunday afternoon, with Durham dropping the first set to Canadore. The Lords then earned their first set wins with two straight scores of 25-21 to take the lead.
 
The fourth set was back-and-forth and required extra points to win, but the Panthers pushed the match to a tiebreaker set with a 26-24 win.
 
Canadore jumped ahead early in the fifth and final set, unable to be caught as they went on to win the set and the match. James Heslinga was an offensive force for the Panthers with five kills on 34 total attacks and a pair of aces. Josiahs Fiddler was nearly unbeatable at the net as he recorded eight blocks on the afternoon.
 
Erik Janssen (Hampton, Ont.) led the way for the Lords with 11 kills on 34 total attacks. Harrison Wood (Uxbridge, Ont.) and Spencer Edwards (Vineland, Ont.) received the next most passes as they finished with 21 attacks and 20 attacks respectively. Durham's setter, Rory Langley (Uxbridge, Ont.), had 28 assists.
 
The Lords will look for their first win of the season as they host the Loyalist Lancers on Tuesday, Nov. 7 at 8 p.m.
 
QUICK LOOK AT THE LORDS
Overall Record: 1-6
Conference Record: 0-2
 
Next Game: Tuesday, Nov. 7 vs. Loyalist Lancers (8 PM – CRWC)