Men's Volleyball falls to top-ranked Red Deer in CCAA semifinal

By: Fernando Bossoes
Humber Athletics Communications

NIVERVILLE, Man. – No. 3 men's volleyball came up short against the nation's top-ranked and Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) champions, Red Deer Kings, in the national semifinal, losing in straight sets (24-26, 23-25, 10-25). Despite the defeat, the Hawks still have a chance to leave the national stage with a bronze medal. Humber will face the Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association champions, No. 14 Dragons de Sainte-Anne, in the bronze semifinal tomorrow, March 7.

Match Recap

The Hawks' path to gold in the national tournament has not been easy. After defeating the No. 6 College of the Rockies Avalanche with a sweep, the Hawks now faced the nation's top-ranked Red Deer Kings in the semifinal—a match billed as a thrilling clash of titans. Humber was determined to reach its third gold medal match in six years and capture the first national title since 2012.

The Kings, fresh off a quick work of the hosts No. 8 Providence Pilots in the quarter-final, where Colby Nemeth and Bradley Noskey combined for 29 points, entered the semifinal as heavy favourites. However, despite their success, Red Deer had a history with Humber, having lost to them in both the 2011 quarter-final and the 2012 semifinal. The winner of this semifinal would establish themselves as the favourite contender for the national title.

The Kings struck first, quickly opening a 12-6 lead as Humber struggled with attacking and service errors. Head coach Wayne Wilkins called an early timeout, hoping to reset his team's focus. The Hawks responded with a surge, and Kyle Gray-Phillips capped off a wild rally to force a deuce. But a net violation handed Red Deer the set at 26-24.

In the second set, the crowd watched both teams trade points. With the score tied at 14-14, Red Deer broke through with a 4-0 run to pull ahead. Just like in the first, Humber fought back late to close the gap to one at 24-23. However, another costly service error gave the Kings a 25-23 win. By the end of the set, the Hawks had 15 attacking errors and 13 service errors that continued to plague their game.

The Kings had yet to record a service ace until the third set, but that quickly changed as Colby Nemeth scored three straight aces — four in the first eight points — pushing Red Deer to an 8-3 lead. The Hawks struggle to find their rhythm, unable to counter the King's pressure. In the end, Red Deer sealed the deal with a crushing 25-10 win, marking Humber's worst set performance of the season.

Kyle Gray-Phillips was named the Player of the Match, presented by 4imprint, recording a team-high seven kills.

Match Notes

• Humber falls to 3-4 all-time in the CCAA semifinal round.
• The Hawks have a 3-3 all-time record against the ACAC.
• The Hawks hold a 22-20 all-time record at the big dance

What's Next?

Despite the loss, the Hawks still have a chance to leave the national stage with the bronze medal. Humber will face the Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association champions, No. 14 Dragons de Sainte-Anne, in the bronze semifinal tomorrow, March 7. The first set is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST and will be streamed live on CCAA Live.