Ottawa, ON - The Algonquin Wolves men's volleyball team has hit a rough patch in their season, dropping three straight games after their 5-0 start. Their most recent defeats came at the hands of the Seneca Sting and Georgian Grizzlies this past weekend on the road.
With first place on the line, Algonquin struggled early as Seneca's aggressive serving kept the Wolves out of system and limited their offensive options. The Sting controlled the opening two sets 25-19 and 25-18, putting the Wolves in an early hole.
Algonquin responded in the third, leaning on a strong set from Nick Gauthier Barber, who powered the Wolves to a 23-20 lead with one of his six kills in the frame. A Seneca serving error closed out the set and gave Algonquin a spark. But the momentum didn't last—more errors from the Wolves allowed Seneca to jump ahead 11-7 in the fourth, and the Sting maintained control the rest of the way to secure the 3-1 victory (25-21).
A trio of Wolves were able to get double digit points:
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Nick Gauthier Barber finished with a team high 11 kills
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Mateo Nunez Kruus added 6 kills, 1 ace and 3 blocks
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Kyle Butler chipped in with 10 kills
Algonquin would be forced to shake off this loss quickly as they faced a tough Georgian Grizzlies Squad the following afternoon. Algonquin's own errors played a major role in the opening set, as 15 combined service and attack errors prevented the Wolves from building momentum in a 25-21 defeat. The second set was far more competitive, with both teams trading points until Georgian edged ahead 14-11. A timely kill from Gauthier Barber helped the Wolves claw back to 14-14, and the set remained tight all the way to 24-23, when Algonquin held set point. However, a Georgian left-side kill, followed by a block, flipped the script, and another attack off the block sealed the 26-24 win for the Grizzlies.
The third set saw the Wolves run out of steam as Georgian controlled play throughout, taking the frame 25-15 to close out the sweep. Gauthier Barber again led Algonquin with 6 kills and 2 aces for 8 points, while middle Ethan Fisher chipped in with 6 kills.
The Wolves enter the break at 5-3 and, despite the recent skid, remain firmly in the mix to host an OCAA qualifying match when play resumes in January.