No. 3 Men's Volleyball clinches dvision title with win at Sheridan

By: Thiago Neuenschwander
Humber Athletics Communications

OAKVILLE - It was a flawless journey for the Humber Hawks volleyball program. Just hours after the women secured the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) West Division title, the men followed suit. In an almost perfect match, they defeated the Sheridan Bruins 3-0 (25-18, 30-28, and 25-14) in Oakville, securing first place in the division and home-court advantage for the playoffs. With the victory, Coach Wilkins' team achieved a 15-1 record and is now out of reach of Fanshawe (11-4), second in the division and their next opponent. This marks the 14th division title in the Wilkins era.

After a disappointing loss to Conestoga (3-1) last Saturday, Canada's No. 3-ranked men's volleyball team entered the court determined not to give their opponent any chances. From the start, they imposed a solid game, relying on the offensive strength of the trio Teyven Blackmore (17K, 1B), Alec Loney (5K, 2B), and Michael McAlpine (7K, 1B). With little resistance from the home team, the Hawks quickly closed out the first set, 25-18.

The second set saw the Bruins return more focused, managing to balance the match. Gavin Elzinga (5K, 2B), Kenma Tong (5K, 2B), and Cohen Reimer (3K, 2SA) were the most dangerous players for the home side, converting crucial plays that challenged the Hawks throughout the set. Unlike their struggle against the Condors, Humber navigated this momentary challenge. In the decisive moment of the set, Nazyr Francis sealed it with a brilliant ace at 30-28, silencing the crowd.

The lost set was a blow for the Bruins. The missed opportunity to pressure the division leaders seemed to unsettle the team, leading to errors. The Hawks seized the moment and upped their pace. It didn't take long for the visitors to establish an insurmountable lead. Before Sheridan realized it, the score was 24-14, and Navy Gold had a match point. Paul Manna (3K, 2SA) delivered a powerful service point to close the match 3-0 and secure the division title for the Hawks.

Humber Highlights

• Humber improves to 53-20 all-time against the Bruins.
• The Hawks have now won 16 consecutive matches against Sheridan, dating back to 2016.
• In 28 seasons at the helm, Coach Wayne Wilkins holds a career record of 441-140.
• Wilkins secured his 15th division title and will now aim for his eighth provincial title with the Hawks.
• Humber leads the OCAA in kills (642) and service aces (133).
• Teyven Blackmore leads the OCAA with an average of 0.65 service aces per set.

What's Next?

Next Saturday, the division champions travel to London to face the Fanshawe Falcons at the Glenn Johnston Athletic Centre. The first serve is scheduled for 7:30 PM and will be streamed live on OCAA Live via YouTube.