HAMILTON, Ont. - For the first time since 2007 the Durham College men's volleyball team will be playing for a medal at the OCAA championship as they advanced to the semifinals with a 3-2 comeback win over the Redeemer Royals.
 
Durham will now take on the No. 1 ranked Fanshawe Falcons in the semifinals with a trip to the gold medal match on the line. The teams will square off on Friday, February 23 at 6 p.m. at Mohawk's David Braley Athletic and Recreation Centre in Hamilton.

Things looked bleak for the nationally ranked Lords in their quarter-final match after dropping the opening two sets by scores of 25-21 and 25-19.
 
With OCAA east region coach of the year George Matsusaki adjusting his line-up that featured 10 players seeing court time, he finally found a combination the clicked as Durham took the third set 25-18.
 
Durham continued to roll in the fourth winning 25-15 to force a fifth and deciding set.
 
The Lords would start the fifth set on fire taking a 4-0 lead. With their backs against the wall, Redeemer would slowly chip away at the lead forcing a Durham timeout holding just a 12-11 lead.
 
The timeout worked as Durham would ring off the next two points to set up match point. After an Andrew Watson (Uxbridge, Ont.) block, Durham stormed the court thinking they pulled off the comeback. However, the official called a net violation, forcing the Lords to regroup leading 14-12. On the next point, Durham setter John Pham (Oakville, Ont.) looked to OCAA first-team all-star Harrison Wood (Uxbridge, Ont.) who finished off the match with a thunderous kill.
 
Defence was the difference maker in the final three sets as Durham's passing improved giving Pham an opportunity to set up his big hitters. The Lords had seven players recording at least five digs with Pham leading the way with 12.
 
Watson, who was used sporadically throughout the regular season, had a standout performance with 15 kills on 21 attempts while recording three blocks and eight digs.
 
Wood was named the player of the game and ended up with nine kills and five blocks while Eric Janssen (Hampton, Ont.) came off the bench for 10 kills, four assists, two blocks, one ace and eight digs on defence.
 
The offence was run through Pham who had a game-high 48 assists. He also chipped in with two blocks including one in the fifth set.
 
Linden Bontkes and Mitchell Harris paced the Royals' offence with 13 and 10 kills respectively. Harris was named Redeemer's player of the game.
 
It was no surprise to anyone that the quarter-final went the distance as the two sides played in a five-set match at the Niagara Invitational over the holiday break.
 
This marks the first-time Durham won their quarter-final match since the 2014 season.
 
Durham and Fanshawe didn't meet this season in exhibition play.
 
QUICK LOOK AT THE LORDS
Conference Record: 25-8
Overall Record: 16-2
 
Next Match: Friday, Feb. 24 • Semifinal vs. Fanshawe (6 PM – Hamilton, Ont.)