Kajan Thiruthanikasalam (Sports Writer, Colts Athletics)
SCARBOROUGH, ONT.- The Centennial Colts men's volleyball team were tied at 23 in the third set and were two points away from winning in straight sets, in what would have easily been their best win of the season and their fourth straight win, something they had not done since coming back into the OCAA.
The La Cite Coyotes, however, had something to say about that.
The Coyotes took the last two points of the third set and rode that momentum as Centennial had its three game win streak snapped with a five set defeat (25-10, 25-22, 23-25, 16-25, 5-15) at the Athletic and Wellness Centre. With the loss, Centennial (3-1) is no longer unbeaten as the Georgian Grizzlies (7-0) remain the only undefeated team in the OCAA East.
Although Centennial beat La Cite in service aces (4-1) and digs (53-51), the Coyotes had the Colts' number in kills (53-45), assists (52-41) and blocks (10-8). The Colts also shot themselves in the foot on their serves, committing 10 errors.
The Coyotes were led by middle hitter Xavier Demers, who had an exceptional game, scoring a game high 28 points on a whopping 26 kills and two blocks. Setter Nicolas Labre had a game high 42 assists in the win for La Cite.
For the Colts, they were led by outside hitter Jordan Saddler with 16 points on a team high 14 kills. Outside hitters Sev Libramonte (15) and Griffin Dubbeld (12) joined him in double figures and Libramonte had a team high two service aces. Setter Adam Yu Qiu paced Centennial with 39 assists and three blocks while libero Calvin Yu had a game high 19 digs in the loss.
The first set could not have started any better for Centennial as they racked up eight straight points to take an early 9-2 lead. The Colts also had runs of 3-0, 4-0, and 6-0 during the set, highlighted by consecutive aces from Libramonte and consecutive kills from outside hitter Jason Fillion. Centennial easily took the first set, 25-10.
Centennial once again started off well, taking an early 7-2 lead in the second set. However, the Coyotes finally showed signs of life, scoring the next five points to tie the set. Both teams then went back and forth with mini-runs, and La Cite held a 19-18 lead late in the set. A pair of kills from Saddler led a 5-0 run from the Colts to take control and eventually take the second set, 25-22.
Both teams had a hard time gaining momentum in the third set as La Cite held a slight 12-11 lead. The Colts, however, seemed to take control of the set as they scored six of the next eight points, capped off by a pair of kills from Saddler. The Coyotes scored three straight, with back to back kills from Demers, to tie the set and that began a massive scramble to the finish in which both teams played each other equal for the next 12 points.
La Cite, though, had one last ounce of energy in the set, scoring two straight to take the third set, 25-23. Although Centennial lost the set, Saddler almost single handedly kept them in it, with five kills and two blocks in the set.
Taking the third set instilled new life in the Coyotes as they scored the first five points of the set and the Colts played catchup the rest of the way. La Cite had their biggest lead of the set at 16-9 and Centennial got it as close to four (19-15) but capped off by three straight kills from Demers, La Cite scored six of the last seven points of the set as they forced a deciding fifth set with a 25-16 fourth set win.
Demers imposed his will and dominance in the fourth set, with 11 kills in the set alone.
Demers started the Coyotes off with two kills and a block as La Cite took an early 3-0 lead and were up 8-2 when the teams switched sides. Centennial could not keep up with the Coyotes' momentum as La Cite took the match by taking the fifth set, 15-5.
Centennial looks to get back in the win column in the third game of their four game home stand tomorrow afternoon at 3:00 pm against the Algonquin Thunder (1-4).