REDS Push Top-Ranked Sherbrooke In Loss

(FREDERICTON, NB) The UNB REDS gave the U SPORTS No. 1 ranked Sherbrooke Vert et Or all they could handle Friday evening in the opening match of their two-match RSEQ men's volleyball series at UNB's Richard J. Currie Center.

The Vert et Or won Friday's match 3-1 with scores of 31-29, 26-28, 25-17 and 27-25.

In a dramatic first set the teams traded points almost every step of the way.

In the end, the Vert et Or strung together a pair of points to earn a 31-29 win.

In the second set, UNB established an early 7-4 lead before a 4-0 run gave Sherbrooke an 8-7 lead and prompted a REDS' timeout.

Again, the teams settled into a routine of sorts, going point for point.

This time it was UNB winning an extended set, 28-26 to even the score at a set apiece.

The visitors strong attack game pushed them ahead in the third set, one they controlled from start to finish, winning 25-17.

The REDS rebounded in the fourth set, pushing the country's top team to extra points for the third time before falling 27-25.

Lucas Maffia (Victoria, BC) led the REDS with 10 kills, 21 assists, and seven digs. He was named the REDS' Tim Horton's Player of the Game.

Eduardo Luchese (Rio Grande do Sul, BRA) had a team-high 17 kills while Finn McMorran (New Maryland, NB) registered 26 assists, nine digs, and five blocks. Lex Guimond (Baie-Sainte Anne, NB) had half a dozen blocks.

Gregoire Mercier-Noel (Boucherville, QC) led the Vert et Or with a game-high 18 kills. Jonathan Portelance (Sherbrooke, QC) had 52 assists, and Antoine Ravet (Boucherville, QC) had a game-high 15 digs.

The REDS record now stands at 7-8 while Sherbrooke improves to 13-1.

The REDS and Vert et Or will wrap up their weekend series on Saturday. First serve is scheduled for 1:00pm AST.

RECAP BY: Andy Campbell/UNB Athletics

PHOTOS BY: James West/for UNB Athletics