The UNB Varsity Reds men's volleyball team will reignite a classic Atlantic University Sport rivalry this weekend, when the Dalhousie Tigers visit the Richard J. Currie Center for a pair of matches.
The Reds dethroned the traditional powerhouse Tigers in the AUS final last year, ending Dal's reign of supremacy that stood since the 1986-87 season - a whopping 24 straight league titles.
"As far as sport goes in the AUS conference, in all sports, this might be one of the most significant rivalries," said Reds' head coach Dan McMorran. "Traditionally, it's a Dalhousie-dominated conference. We'd like to think we've changed that a little bit. That said, Dal is still one of the top programs in the country and they've forced us to become better as a result."
The Reds went 2-1 at the first interlock tournament of the year in Montreal late last month.
The AUS conference is comprised of just three teams - UNB, Dal and the Memorial Sea-hawks of Newfoundland - so those teams play three interlock tournaments against Quebec universities.
UNB beat Sherbrooke 3-2 (28-26, 19-25, 25-23, 24-26, 15-11) and Montreal 3-0 (25-19, 25-22, 25-17), while dropping a contest to Laval 3-0 (27-25, 25-15, 25-17).
Team captain Matt Sweet is being called upon to anchor the Reds' lineup, with help coming from fellow senior John Sheehan, who's ranked second in AUS hitting percentage with a .553 rating, AUS kill leader Julio Fernandez (averaging 4.1 per game), and Andrew Costa, who leads in assists with an average of 10.1 a game.
Fernandez is also the conference leader in points per game.
At six-foot-two, Sweet isn't the biggest outside hitter, but McMorran said it's the left side hitter's solid overall game and court smarts that make him a valuable player.
"He's got a good work ethic, an open mind and he always wants to learn," said McMorran.
Sweet, a fourth-year kinesiology student from O'Leary, P.E.I., said the team has been focusing on its defensive play in the early going, and suspects that will be put to the test against the Tigers.
Game time tonight is 8 p.m. Saturday's match is slated for 2 p.m.
"It's a big rivalry when they're in town," Sweet said. "Intensity in practice really picks up through the week, and it would be great to go up a few games on them early in the season."
Dal has a 1-2 record, beating Sherbrooke at the first interlock, while dropping matches to Laval and Montreal. Memorial is winless at 0-3.
On the women's side, the V-Reds take on the Tigers tonight at 6 p.m. at the Currie centre