UNB Varsity Reds lose heartbreaker in fifth set to the Manitoba Bisons
October 6, 2012
The UNB Varsity Reds opened their pre-season exhibition with a loss to the Manitoba Bisons, taking them all the way to the fifth and deciding set in front of a hometown crowd of more than 950 at the Richard J. CURRIE CENTER.
First team all-Canadian Dane Pischke of Winnipeg was named player of the match for the Bisons as he led his team past the V-Reds, 25-22, 21-25, 25-20, 21-25 and 16-14 posting 22 kills with a .396 attack percentage.
Fifth year senior Andrew Costa from Summerside, PEI, was named player of the match for the Varsity Reds with 12 digs to his credit.
This game was the first of a two-game series between UNB and the powerful Manitoba team, who were ranked in the top three of the CIS Top Ten in every poll throughout the 2011-12 season.
It was a positive learning experience for the Varsity Reds in a match that could very easily have gone in their favour.
Head coach Dan McMorran said he chose to play a tough opponent because, “It’s a measuring stick as to where we are early on and we constantly want to be playing the best teams in the country; that’s one of the ways where we can hopefully get ourselves to the next level.”
“I think our guys are incredibly disappointed right now and I think we should be disappointed. We showed some fight to stay in a couple of sets only to shoot ourselves in the foot at times. Manitoba is renowned for playing fantastic defense and for giving themselves chances. It was a good learning experience because they did just that,” continued McMorran.
Three first year UNB players saw quality floor time – Samuel Alves of Melbourne, Australia, Mathieu Losier from Fredericton and Elvind Anderson from Sandnes, Norway. Alves posted three kills and a service ace while Anderson had three service aces and three block assists.
When asked if he liked what he saw from his new addition, McMorran replied, “Absolutely. We played young guys on the floor tonight and Manitoba also played some young guys. That being said our guys played very well tonight…. they need these types of matches to get to know how to perform.”
The Varsity Reds and the Bisons will take to the floor again tomorrow with a 2:30 pm start once again at the RJCC.
Stats Leaders:
Manitoba
Kills: Dane Pischke (22), Evan Jackson (11), Kevin Falconer (6)
Blocks: Kenny Rooney (2)
Digs: Kevin Falconer (8) Dane Pischke (8) Chris Komishon (8) Evan Jackson (8)
Service Aces: Chris Komishon (1), Dane Pischke (1)
Assists: Chris Komishon (47)
Player of the match: Dane Pischke
UNB
Kills: Elvind Anderson (14) Julio Fernandez (12) Brett Ledrew (7) Marc White (7)
Blocks: Brett Ledrew (3)
Digs: Stephane Fontaine (14) Andrew Costa (12) Julio Fernandez (10)
Service Aces: Julio Fernandez (3) Elvind Anderson (3) Brett Ledrew (2)
Assists: Stephane Fontaine (43)
Player of the Match Andrew Costa
First team all-Canadian Dane Pischke of Winnipeg was named player of the match for the Bisons as he led his team past the V-Reds, 25-22, 21-25, 25-20, 21-25 and 16-14 posting 22 kills with a .396 attack percentage.
Fifth year senior Andrew Costa from Summerside, PEI, was named player of the match for the Varsity Reds with 12 digs to his credit.
This game was the first of a two-game series between UNB and the powerful Manitoba team, who were ranked in the top three of the CIS Top Ten in every poll throughout the 2011-12 season.
It was a positive learning experience for the Varsity Reds in a match that could very easily have gone in their favour.
Head coach Dan McMorran said he chose to play a tough opponent because, “It’s a measuring stick as to where we are early on and we constantly want to be playing the best teams in the country; that’s one of the ways where we can hopefully get ourselves to the next level.”
“I think our guys are incredibly disappointed right now and I think we should be disappointed. We showed some fight to stay in a couple of sets only to shoot ourselves in the foot at times. Manitoba is renowned for playing fantastic defense and for giving themselves chances. It was a good learning experience because they did just that,” continued McMorran.
Three first year UNB players saw quality floor time – Samuel Alves of Melbourne, Australia, Mathieu Losier from Fredericton and Elvind Anderson from Sandnes, Norway. Alves posted three kills and a service ace while Anderson had three service aces and three block assists.
When asked if he liked what he saw from his new addition, McMorran replied, “Absolutely. We played young guys on the floor tonight and Manitoba also played some young guys. That being said our guys played very well tonight…. they need these types of matches to get to know how to perform.”
The Varsity Reds and the Bisons will take to the floor again tomorrow with a 2:30 pm start once again at the RJCC.
Stats Leaders:
Manitoba
Kills: Dane Pischke (22), Evan Jackson (11), Kevin Falconer (6)
Blocks: Kenny Rooney (2)
Digs: Kevin Falconer (8) Dane Pischke (8) Chris Komishon (8) Evan Jackson (8)
Service Aces: Chris Komishon (1), Dane Pischke (1)
Assists: Chris Komishon (47)
Player of the match: Dane Pischke
UNB
Kills: Elvind Anderson (14) Julio Fernandez (12) Brett Ledrew (7) Marc White (7)
Blocks: Brett Ledrew (3)
Digs: Stephane Fontaine (14) Andrew Costa (12) Julio Fernandez (10)
Service Aces: Julio Fernandez (3) Elvind Anderson (3) Brett Ledrew (2)
Assists: Stephane Fontaine (43)
Player of the Match Andrew Costa