REDS Upset Top-Ranked Sherbrooke

(FREDERICTON, NB) The UNB REDS upset the U SPORTS No. 1 ranked Sherbrooke Vert et Or in straight sets in RSEQ men's volleyball action, Saturday afternoon at UNB's Richard J. Currie Center.

The REDS won 25-22, 25-20, and 31-29, handing Sherbrooke just their second loss of the season.

Eduardo Luchese (Rio Grande do Sul, BRA) had a game-high 13 kills and was named Tim Horton's Player of the Game. Luchese also registered five blocks.

The home team raced out to an early 5-2 lead in the opening set.

After Sherbrooke evened the score 9-9, the REDS went on a 4-0 run to lead 13-9.

They maintained an advantage the rest of the way, on route to a 25-22 first set victory.

In the second, the Vert et Or bounced back.

When the visitors went up 13-10, REDS' head coach Dan McMorran called time-out.

What followed was a 5-0 REDS run to put UNB up 15-13.

The REDS extended their lead to five, at 20-15, and went on to the 25-20 set win for a two-sets-to-none lead.

In a dramatic third set, neither team could establish much of an advantage and traded points late. UNB's strong service game proved to be the difference as the home team scored the final two points of the set for a 31-29 set victory and the 3-0 match win.

Senior libero Scott Mann (Winnipeg, MB) had a game-high 11 digs for UNB while first year RED Finn McMorran (New Maryland, NB) registered a game-high eight blocks. Lucas Maffia (Victoria, BC) has 20 assists.

Jonathan Portelance (Sherbrooke, QC) led the Vert et Or with a game-high 27 assists while Yoan David (Sherbrooke, QC) had nine kills and Antoine Ravet (Boucheville, QC) added eight digs.

With the win, UNB finishes their regular season with an 8-8 record and are firmly in third place in the RSEQ standings. Sherbrooke remains atop the table, but their record falls to 13-2.

The Vert et Or will wrap up their regular season schedule next Friday when they visit Laval.

The REDS now await a to-be-determined first round RSEQ playoff opponent.

RECAP BY: Andy Campbell/UNB Athletics

PHOTOS BY: James West/for UNB Athletics