Men’s volleyball: Sweet revenge for Wolves in win over Sting

The Algonquin Wolves men’s volleyball team swept the Seneca Sting on Jan. 24 before coming up a point short against the top-ranked Georgian Grizzlies a day later at the Jack Doyle Athletics and Recreation Centre.

Against the Sting, the Wolves’ dominant play around the net proved decisive, with the team surrendering the lead only once across three sets.

“We played our best game around the net, giving them no room to beat us up top. Our passing and movement were at our level — we played great,” said head coach Jelle Kooijman.

Algonquin registered 51 kills on 86 attempts, outscoring Seneca 51-17. Middle hitter Ethan Fisher delivered a season high of 10 kills on 10 attempts, along with three service aces. Nick Gauthier Barber and Mahmoud Abdelaziz also had standout performances, tallying nine kills each.

“Our game plan was played to perfection. We knew we had to be successful around the net, and we were,” said Gauthier Barber, the middle hitter for the Algonquin Wolves.

Seneca tried to match Algonquin’s intensity in the third set, with Baufy Mbaya Kongolo leading the way with four kills. However, the Wolves overcame a brief deficit with key serves from Liam Arnold-Paquette and Fisher to complete the sweep.

“Our serving tonight was exactly what we looked for — putting the ball in bad spots for them and giving us more opportunities for kills and easy points,” said Barber.

With the season winding down and playoffs approaching, the Wolves are projected to face the Fanshawe Falcons, the second seed in the Ontario College Athletic Association western conference in the opening round.

“Everybody in our locker room knows we can beat anybody. Playing our game with confidence gives us a chance against anyone we face,” said Kooijman.

The Wolves’ game against the Georgian Grizzlies on Jan. 25 at the Jack Doyle Athletics and Recreation Centre was a tougher challenge. Algonquin won the first two sets and had a match point in the third at 24-23. However, the Grizzlies staged a dramatic comeback, taking the third set and winning the next two to complete a reverse sweep over the Wolves.

The weekend spilt put the Wolves’ record at 7-9 on the season.

The Wolves will play their final two regular season games on Feb. 1 at Fleming College and Feb. 2 at Durham College before the playoffs begin on Feb. 8.