NIPISSING 3, DURHAM 2 (FINAL)

NORTH BAY, Ont. - The Nipissing Lakers started off the quest for their first men's volleyball medal with a win against the Durham Lords today.

Nipissing defeated Durham in five sets (25-21, 25-18, 22-25, 23-25, 15-11) in a quarter-final match in the Ontario Colleges Athletics Association (OCAA) Men's Volleyball Championship at Nipissing University.

Today's match featured a close first set with Nipissing scoring the first point. Scott Coulthard (Wingham, Ont.) scored seven kills including a powerful spike in the final rally to end first set play. The second set began with points exchanged by both teams in close play until Nipissing came on strong in the second half of the set with seven unanswered points to make the score 22-17. Nipissing went on to win the set by a seven point differential. Durham's right side, Jordan McFarlane, received a yellow card caution for challenging an official's call near the end of the second set.

In the third set, Durham was not to be out-played and came on strong by springing to an early four point lead. Nipissing's coach, Eric Yung, called a time-out to disrupt the game's flow that resulted in a Durham service error. Durham lead the entire set. The fourth set saw Durham lead again for the majority, though Nipissing tied it up 22-22 after a couple of six point leads held by Durham.

The fifth and deciding set of the match featured successive service errors by both teams before Nipissing's Coulthard sealed the match with a left side kill.

Nipissing (17-1) ended the regular season second in the West and tied in points with last year's OCAA gold medal winning Humber Hawks. Nipissing is ranked fifth overall in Canada in CCAA rankings.

Durham (15-5) finished their regular season third in the OCAA Eastern conference.

Nipissing's left side, Coulthard, scored 12 kills in the first two sets and 26 in the match. Teammate Frankie Edgecombe (Elmvale, Ont.), middle, made 12 kills and four stuff blocks for 16 points while Taylor Bielby (Barrie, Ont.), setter, contributed four serving aces.

Durham's left side players Steven Clarey and PJ Cornelius scored 11 kills for 13 points and nine kills and 12 points, respectively.

Player of the Game honours went to Coulthard for Nipisisng and setter Bradley Van Hartingsveldt with four kills and two stuff blocks for seven points for Durham.

Nipissing's coach Eric Yung won the Men's Volleyball West Division Coach of the Year and is a CCAA Men's Volleyball Coach of the Year Nominee.

Nipissing will play the winner of the Sheridan and Algonquin game in semi-final action tomorrow at 8 p.m.

Source: Nipissing University