A colossal comeback in the second set paved the way for an impressive road victory for the University of the Fraser Valley men’s volleyball team on Saturday afternoon.
Taking on the College of the Rockies Avalanche in Cranbrook, the Cascades took the first set 25-21, but struggled early in the second and fell behind 19-11. They mustered an epic rally, though, to edge the Avalanche 25-23, and wrapped up the match with a tidy 25-17 victory in the third.
The CCAA No. 14-ranked Cascades, coming off a four-set loss to COTR on Friday, evened their record at 5-5. The Avalanche, likewise, find themselves at the .500 mark at 4-4.
“We did our jobs tonight,” UFV head coach Kyle Donen said. “We made adjustments, but for the most part we were just more disciplined and played pretty consistent from start to finish.”
The Cascades got typically strong performances from their offensive leaders, right side Joel Kleingeltink and left side Adam Chaplin – the latter making some great plays as a setter in some rotations. Rookie middle Connor Prium came up big at the net in his second straight start, while Robert Bauerfind and Levi Block came off the bench in the second set to spark the rally.
“It’s a big win for us,” Donen said. “It’s not an easy trip. We would have preferred to win both nights, but overall, happy with how we responded tonight.”
The Cascades volleyball teams wrap up their first-semester schedules at home next weekend, taking on the Capilano Blues at the Envision Athletic Centre. On Friday, the women play at 6 p.m. and the men at 8 p.m., and Saturday’s games start at 5 p.m. (women) and 7 p.m. (men).
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