The UNB Varsity Reds went one and one in the Saturday portion of the AUS-RSEQ Interlock event.
UNB defeated Sherbrooke's Vert et Or by a score of 3-0. Individual set scores were: 25-18, 25-17, and 25-22.
Julio Fernandez led the way in kills for the Varsity Reds, recording a total of 12 to help the team to victory.
The second match of the day was a heartbreaking defeat for UNB. The Varsity Reds lost 3-2 to the reigning CIS gold medalist, Laval Rouge et Or.
Individual scores of the five sets were: 19-25, 25-18, 25-12, 20-25, and 11-15.
The match kicked off at a quick pace, with both teams exchanging heavy kills. Excellent serving from Julio Fernandez took the lead for UNB, 7-4. Laval fought back with some strong play at the net, blocking the UNB attack and taking the lead 16-13. Laval took the first set 25-19.
The high intensity of the first set continued into the second with the score quickly building up, 7-7. Six-foot-six middle Craig Toonders, used his long reach to block a Laval tip, increasing the UNB lead, 12-9. Fernandez slammed down the final ball in the set taking it for UNB, 25-18.
UNB started the third set winning eleven of twelve points, under the serve of Toonders, to take a commanding, 11-1 lead. V-Red libero,
Chhase McFarlen made some huge digs, dissolving desperate Rouge et Or attacks. After strenuous rallying, both teams moving all around the court, Toonders slammed down the deciding point taking the set, 25-12.
Laval managed technical issues in the fourth set and pulled ahead of UNB, 12-9 on a kill from Bruno Lortie. Laval's Olivier Pinard blocked a
Marc White attack to increase the deficit 19-13. On a final kill from the Rouge et Or's Lortie, Laval took the fourth set 25-20.
Neither team gave an inch, keeping the score close, splitting the first ten points, 5-5. At the midway end switch Laval held the lead 8-5. UNB's White added three kills to keep the match alive, trailing by one, 10-9. On a heartbreaking decision by the ref, a point originally given to UNB was recalled and given to Laval, giving the set to them 15-11, and with it the match 3-2.
Although the end result was not in their favour, coach Dan McMorran still thought his V-Reds played strong, saying: "By times we played brilliant, we came into our own in the second and third sets, we were able to find a good blocking rhythm, and we forced them to make mistakes."
