Tigers Take Five Set Marathon
Second five-setter in two days
(HALIFAX, NS) The Dal Tigers scored a 3-2 win over the UNB Reds on Saturday, the second five-set match between the teams in less than 24 hours.
After trading points early, the Tigers were able to open a 10-5 lead with some great serves from Kobe Shannon (Halifax, NS) after he picked up a few kills to open the match.
The middle blocking was strong to start for the Tigers with Matthew Woods (Halifax, NS) and Graham Schmuland (Calgary, AB) getting in on multiple blocks as they stretched their lead to 14-9.
The Reds were still able to get a few kills in between the blocks from Eduardo Luchese (Bento Goncalves, Brazil), but much of the Reds offense was coming from Tigers errors, as they trailed 16-10 at the break.
Luchese picked up a few more kills out of the break, but the Tigers were able to close out the set quickly, with kills from Jeffrey Walton (Sudbury, ON) and Woods sending home the final kill for the Tigers to make it 25-16.
It was a tight start in the first half of the second set, with the service game making the difference for both sides, forcing errors and free-balls as the teams traded points all the way up to the technical break with the Tigers leading 16-15.
The Tigers were the first team to open a lead in the second set, coming out of the break with Schmuland sending home two kills, plus a block to make it 20-16.
Some late errors were costly for the Reds as Kobe Shannon hammered another kill through blockers and the Tigers took the second set 25-21 to take a 2-0 lead.
The third set got off to a rough start on both sides, with errors, especially service errors, on both sides, but the score remained tight.
Luchese and Connor McConnell (Hanwell, NB) pushed the Reds to a 16-14 lead at the break.
The Reds opened a four-point lead late in the set, up 22-18 with McConnell and Brad Stewart (Wolfville, NS) leading the way, and the Reds would eventually finish the set after a Tigers error at 25-21 to force a fourth set.
In the fourth, McConnell and Luchese collected kills for the Reds, while Walton and Kobe Shannon were contributing for the Tigers, who led 16-15 at the timeout.
The Tigers committed three errors in the row late in the set to find themselves down 23-20, and after the Tigers gave up their 23rd service error of the match, the Reds were able to force a fifth and final set, winning the fourth set 25-23.
In the final set, the Tigers jumped ahead 6-1.
The Reds were able to stay alive with Luchese and Stewart picking up kills as the Tigers struggled to close out the match, but Walton was finally able to find the back line, and finish the match with a 15-11 win.
Luchese led the Reds with 14 kills and three blocks, while Schmuland finished with a game-high 16 kills and three blocks.
The Tigers will hit the road next weekend to take on Sherbrooke while the Reds will host Laval Friday and Saturday.
RECAP BY: Kirk Jessome/for UNB Athletics
PHOTOS BY: HFX Collective/for UNB Athletics