Posted: Jan 30, 2012
The Varsity Reds didn't concede a single set during Saturday's and Sunday's 3-0 wins at the Richard J. Currie Center. UNB will hold onto its slim lead over the Dalhousie Tigers in the race for home-court advantage in the final best-of-three series, sitting at 11-4 atop the Atlantic University Sport standings.
The Sea-Hawks, who fell to 1-14, will host the Tigers (8-5) next weekend before UNB and Dalhousie meet in Halifax for the final two regular-season matches Feb. 10-11.
Reds head coach Dan McMorran said, despite facing a less-than-stellar opponent, it's important to have a sense of urgency running through the lineup at all times now.
'Right now we're trying to get the guys to flip the switch and go into playoff mode right now,' said McMorran.
The home-court edge was a crucial factor in taking the first match of the 2011 championship final en route to UNB's first AUS title in 32 years.
The Reds took both matches with ease - winning 25-12, 25-15, 25-20 Saturday and 25-19, 25-15, 25-23 - apart from the bout of third-set complacency at the end of each game. On Sunday, the Sea-Hawks battled the Reds to 18-18 in the final set before falling off pace.
'It's hard not to slip into that complacency when you're playing a team that you should be trying to do really well against,' McMorran said.
'We've got to be tougher in those spots.' Aside from those small lapses, it was a near perfect weekend for the Reds. Julio Fernandez had another strong weekend, recording 11 kills and four digs and a couple of blocks Saturday and following up with 14 kills and four digs Sunday. Jonathan Tower earned player of the game honours Saturday, with eight kills and four digs. Marc White stepped up Sunday in relief of injured outside hitter Matt Sweet, posting 15 kills.
It was also a chance for some of the bench players to get on the court. First-year Nicolas Levesque and sophomore Robert Young saw their first minutes of the season on Sunday. However, it was Justin Corey who stole the show for the younger crop of bench players in the second game.
The 6-foot-6 rookie from Newcastle Creek, N.B., picked up six kills, three digs and a service ace.
'He's a guy in the next few years who's going to be a force, so it's good to get him in,' said McMorran.
The Reds coach made multiple substitutions each set in an effort to get a better feel for certain players in different situations and positions. Among the experiments was having Sweet tested as a libero.
'Those things happen in games,' said McMorran. 'If people get hurt or aren't playing well, we have to be able to move stuff around. It just makes us more dynamic.' Sweet, who's been dealing with a leg injury since returning after the break, played Saturday's match on the left side, posting six kills and four digs. However, to ease him back into action, McMorran had the fourth-year as the alternate libero behind Kyle Blanchard.
'He was a little bit sore after (Saturday), but it was muscle soreness from not playing as much. But Marc White showed that he can step up in his place.'