The Varsity Blues men’s volleyball team fell 3-1 (25-15, 25-20, 18-25, 25-29) to the Waterloo Warrior on Friday, November 26 at the Athletic Centre Sports Gym.

Fiodar Kazhamiaka of Waterloo, Ont., began the game in favour of the Warriors with two powerful kills. The Warriors continued to raise their score through to the first technical time out.

Blues rookies Jonathan Adomait of Dundas, Ont. and Mississauga, Ont., native Jake Dysselhof managed to weave past their defence midway through the set, but the Warriors remained in control to secure a 25-15 win.

The second was a much tighter set. Aleks Poldma continued to notch a number of kills for the Warriors, while Toronto’s Adam Palmer (Ottawa) came through for the Blues. The game remained close through to the second technical, where it nearly tied at 13. Toronto kept pressure on the Warriors, never lagging far behind. Matthew Vares tallied a number of digs along with Michael Denton Scarborough, Ont., but ultimately, William Richards and Poldma managed to nab the last two game points, as Waterloo took the set 25-20.

The Varsity Blues rallied together after the second set and came back with a much improved play. The Warriors dropped the first few points and the Blues jumped on the opportunity to widen the gap. Adomait, Palmer, and Alex Park played especially well, maintaining their composure under pressure, as the Warriors regained some of their drive.

The Blues kept a five-point lead after the second technical and with a powerful kill from Denton took the third set 25-18.

The final set was a tough one for both teams. The game remained tied up right up until the first technical time out, after which the Warriors took a slight lead. Their progress continued, but again, Toronto remained close. After a timeout nearing the end of the set, the Blues rebounded, eager to stretch out the match. Palmer and Adomait helped to bring the Blues score up to 20, nearing overtime; but the Paladins pulled together and ended the match with a 25-20 victory.

Dysselhof tallied a team-high 13 kills, while Palmer had 11 in the loss.

Waterloo was led by Kazhamiaka’s game-high 16 kills.

The Varsity Blues return to action tomorrow night as they travel to Waterloo, Ont., to take on the Laurier Golden Hawks. Game time is scheduled for 8 p.m.

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