Gryphon men win bronze and berth in national tournament
ST. CATHARINES – The Guelph Gryphons are OUA bronze medalists and are to compete in next weekend’s U Sports national university men’s volleyball championship tournament at Queen’s.
The Gryphs outlasted the Brock Badgers 3-2 in the OUA’s bronze-medal game Saturday night in front of a crowd of 700 at Brock’s Bob Davis Gymnasium.
The win for the Gryphs included a 35-33 marathon victory in the second set and a 15-11 triumph in the fifth and final set.
Guelph also took the first set 25-15 while Brock won the third set 25-14 and the fourth set 25-18.
Jonathan Pickett collected 30 kills, an ace, three blocks and five digs for the Gryphs while Cameron Chadwick had 15 kills, an ace, three blocks and six digs. Joshua Glasbergen had nine kills, an ace and eight blocks, Alexander Odle had seven kills, six blocks and six digs, Thomas Pugsley had two aces, three blocks, 59 assists and 10 digs, Jacob Bailey had four blocks and Daniel Pickett had nine digs.
Category leaders for Brock were Devin Cooney with 18 kills and an ace, Kylar Code with an ace, Jacob Ferland with five blocks, Grant Reddon with 51 assists and Sauli Lianga and Adrian Gaspar with 10 digs apiece.
The Gryphs finished the match with 67 kills, five aces, 17 blocks, 63 assists, 39 digs and a .224 kill percentage while Brock had 60 kills, two aces, eight blocks, 57 assists, 44 digs and a .225 kill percentage.
The Tantramar Trophy national championship tournament is to be held at Queen’s in Kingston next Friday to Sunday.
The Gryphs are to join the McMaster Marauders (OUA champions), Queen’s Gaels (hosts and OUA silver medalists), defending champion Alberta Golden Bears (Canada West champions), Trinity Western Spartans (Canada West silver medalists), UBC Thunderbirds (Canada West bronze medalists), Sherbrooke Vert et Or (Quebec champions) and Laval Rouge et Or (Quebec silver medalists).
It’ll be Guelph’s first appearance at the national championship event since they got in as hosts in 1988 and finished eighth in the eight-team tournament. The Gryphs have never won the national title.
- Guelph Sports Journal