Men’s volleyball team wins big against Cascades
By Michael Sopow, Sports Reporter
On January 10, Douglas College’s men’s volleyball team faced off against the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) Cascades. The Royals, coming into the game atop the PACWEST division standings with an impressive 10 wins and two losses, were looking to further their season’s success and shut the door on one of the only teams to have bested them.
As the first set commenced, it became increasingly evident that this was not just a friendly skirmish of opposing sides, but an all-out battle with directed purpose. Each point was a relentless struggle, neither side wanting to lose an inch.
Douglas College eventually lost some leverage on the scoreboard due to some “fiercely hit side-spin serves” near the end of the first set. Though captain Angus Ireland, with the support of his team, was able to reclaim some of that lost ground, Fraser Valley proceeded to win the first set 25 to 20.
Throughout the second set, Douglas College demonstrated that their current record was no fluke.
The Royals took an early 2-1 lead and kept it until the end of the second set, winning 25 to 18. The Royals also found a way to effectively dismantle their previous dilemma through strong defensive pushes and pinpoint offensive strikes.
Transitioning into the third set, both teams having had a taste of victory, there began a wave of apprehension for both team’s supporters.
Well-played point after well-played point led Douglas College to a 2-1 set lead, but a 26 to 24 win for Fraser Valley brought everything back to an even 2-2. It was a predicament that could only be solved with a “sudden death set,” to 15 points. At the end of five sets, the Royals proved to be triumphant, winning 15-8.
“I thought Angus did a good job of running our team,” said head coach Brad Hudson in a post-game interview. “You know he’s obviously the captain and the setter so he’s pretty integral to what we do, but I thought he was a really composed, good teammate, and I felt that that helped settle some guys down a little bit.
“We also tried to make some adjustments and I think the guys did a good job of making those adjustments, not just putting them in but making them so that was really important to us well.”
