(FREDERICTON, NB) The UNB Varsity Reds pushed yet another RSEQ opponent to fifth set, before dropping a 3-2 decision.
UNB rallied from two sets down to force the deciding set.
The Sherbrooke Vert et Or won that fifth set 15-13, taking the match three sets to two.
"We've been a team this year, that when we go down two sets, we've had previous times when we kind of concede the third or the fourth, so it was nice to see it get to a fifth, but definitely disappointed with the way it finished," said the Varsity Reds' Matthew Losier.
Sherbrooke looked to dominate from the opening serve, as Remy Chauvet ran the visitors out to a 3-0 lead.
Joel Beauregard ran the Sherbrooke lead to 7-2 and the Vert et Or were never challenged, taking the opener 25-16.
UNB showed life in the second set, trading points with Sherbrooke, but trailing 16-11 at the technical time-out.
The Varsity Reds pulled even at 24-24, before a pair of unforced errors gave Sherbrooke a 26-24 victory and a two-set lead.
The Varsity Reds comeback started slowly, both teams trading points through the early stages of the third.
Tristen Burridge and Samuel Alves then combined to put UNB in front, running the lead to 14-10 and 17-12.
Cody Timmons and Losier then helped the VReds to move ahead 23-18.
A Losier ace, one of four in the match, made it 25-18 UNB and put the Varsity Reds back in the match.
Timmons' strong play continued in the fourth set, blocks and an ace spotting the home side a 3-0 lead.
UNB led 10-3 and 19-10, on route to a dominating 25-12 victory, setting the stage for the deciding fifth set.
But, the momentum did not carry over.
When Sherbrooke ran out to a 6-2 lead, Varsity Reds head coach Dan McMorran was forced to call a time-out. "That's us right now," said McMorran, of allowing Sherbrooke to regain the momentum. "We do things brilliant for bursts of time. The fifth set was a prime example of that. We fight back, I thought we played very well in the third and fourth sets and then start off with four or five errors in the first six or seven points of the fifth."
UNB would get close, as Sherbrooke led 13-10 and 14-13, before taking the match on Pascal McCarthy's service error.
Sherbrooke head coach Marc Lussier was pleased with the win. "We had a good performance and good energy in the fifth and that was the difference."
"We have a deep team and I think our depth, right now, is allowing us to stay in some matches," said McMorran. "We stayed in this match, but, ultimately, when the chips are down and we've got to get it going here, we're having hard time finding that gear."
UNB went 1-and-2 in the AUS/RSEQ interlock weekend.
Both loses went the full five sets.
Eivind Anderson led UNB's effort with 14 kills and 10 digs.
Daniel Morneau, Sherbrooke's Subway player of the game, finished with 20 kills and 7 digs.
Matthew Losier was the Subway player of the game for the Varsity Reds.
In other late interlock action, the Laval Rouge et Or swept the Dalhousie Tigers 3-0.
Ethan Ellison, for Laval, and Kristen O'Brien, for Dal, earned Subway player of the game honours.
The Universite de Montreal Carabins handed the Memorial Sea Hawks a 3-0 loss.
Samuel Landry was the Carabins' Subway player of the game. Cody Harvey was Memorial's.
The Varsity Reds go on the road next weekend.
They'll be in St. John's, to face the Sea Hawks on Saturday and Sunday.