The York University Lions men's volleyball team visited the TMU Bold to conclude their two-game season-opening set on Friday night. The Lions took the season-opener in straight sets on Thursday night and were looking for a repeat performance in this one.

The Lions took the first set 25-23, led by OUA first team all-star and U SPORTS second team all-Canadian Dennis Cota, who scored early and often in the opening set. Third team all-star Alex Dorling and former CCAA all-Canadian and PACWEST all-star Colby Soolsma also chipped in offesnively, helping York earn its fourth straight set win over the Bold.

The home side bounced back in the second set, as they took it by the same score as the Lions did the first, 25-23, to knot things at 1-1. Riley Donovan was a thorn in the flesh of the Lions, as he led the Bold in points, while Soolsma led the way for the Lions ,leading the team in kills in the second set.

TMU then took their first match lead of the weekend in the third set. The set was tight throughout, as neither team led by more than three until late in the proceedings. With York up 18-16, the Bold came to life and ended the set on an 9-3 run, including scoring five consecutive and six of seven points late, as they took the third 25-21 and put the Lions a set away from their first loss of the season.

However, the visitors responded with a dominant performance in the fourth set to even things up, as Hoffman led the team in kills and provided an offensive spark. York went on a 6-0 run after being down 9-7, sparked by kills from Hoffman, setter Jasraj Nijjar and sophomore Bodhi Jones, to take a 13-9 lead. That was the catalyst to a convincing 25-18 fourth-set win to force a fifth and deciding set.

In the decisive fifth, TMU came out blazing and built a comfortable 13-7 lead, only, of course needing to be first to 15 in the final set. However, with York down to their last point at 14-10, the Lions rallied to score five straight points to go up 15-14. After the Bold tied it at 15, a kill by Cota off a Nijjar assist – one of his 46 on the night – made it 16-14 and a Bold error closed it out, one of their four on the final seven points scored by York. The Lions took the set 17-15 and the match 3-2.

LOOKING AHEAD:

Sitting at 2-0, the Lions travel to Waterloo to face the Warriors on Halloween night, October 31st. it can be streamed live on OUA.TV.