OSHAWA, Ont. - The No. 7 nationally ranked Durham College men's volleyball team made quick work of the Mohawk Mountaineers in their OCAA crossover playoff match on Saturday evening, securing a berth to the OCAA Championship in Peterborough next week.
After winning the OCAA east division crown with a 16-2 regular season record, the top-seeded Lords matched up with the OCAA west seventh-seeded Mohawk Mountaineers who finished the 2019-20 campaign with an 8-10 mark. Durham looked as though they were on a mission throughout the quick three set match, jumping out to quick leads in each of the three sets. Most impressive was the depth on display by DC as seven attacking players saw time on the court despite the match only being three sets, providing playoff experience for veteran and rookie players alike.
The Lords will now head to Fleming College who are set to host the OCAA Championship from Feb. 27-29. Taking a short trip down the road to Peterborough, DC will face the Redeemer Royals in the quarter-final round. Redeemer earned their place after winning a tough five set OCAA crossover versus the Algonquin Thunder. The last time the Lords and Royals met in OCAA quarter-final action was in 2017, where Durham picked up an exciting five set victory over Redeemer. The contest is slated for a 1 p.m. start, with the action being streamed on
OCAA LIVE.
• Showcasing some serious power at times from the outside hitter position,
Andrew Dube (Uxbridge, Ont.) notched a game-high 14 points for the Lords, finishing with 12 kills and two blocks.
• First-year standout
Will Hart (Erinsville, Ont.) added 10 points for the green and gold, registering nine kills and one block.
• Anthony Beijes led the way for the Mountaineers in the loss, recording seven kills, one ace, and one block for nine points.
• Guiding the Lords offence in the quick three set match,
Liam Gray (Barrie, Ont.) finished with 26 assists.
• Fifth-year veteran and team captain
Tyler Krabi (Stouffville, Ont.) led the Lords defensively with seven digs in the win.
• Mohawk setter Justin Kong totaled 23 assists, while Brayden Griffith and Ezekiel Araghan tied with a team-high six digs apiece.
Overall Record: 27-9 (W-L)
Conference Record: 16-2
Next match: Thursday, Feb. 27 vs. Redeemer Royals • (OCAA Quarter-Final – 1 p.m. – Peterborough, Ont.)
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