GUELPH, Ont. – For the first time in 622 days, there was meaningful OUA men's volleyball played at the Guelph Gryphons Athletics Centre. On Friday night (November 12), the Gryphons men's volleyball team hosted their first home game of their 2021-22 OUA regular season schedule as they welcomed the No. 3-nationally ranked McMaster Marauders to Guelph. In a re-match of the 2019-20 OUA bronze medal match, the Marauders and Gryphons combined for a entertaining affair, but it would be the Marauders coming out on top, winning 3-sets-to-1 to spoil the Gryphons home opener (12-25, 30-28, 20-25 & 23-25). With the loss, the Gryphons fall to 0-2 on the 14-game OUA regular season, while the Marauders improve to 2-0.
After the Gryphons got off to a slow start in the opening set (12-25), the home side would bounce back in a big way, thrilling the fans in attendance at the Guelph Gryphons Athletics Centre by coming out on top of a captivating 30-28 score line in the 2nd set. With the 2nd set tied at 28-28, it would be second-year standout
Jonathan Pickett (Wiarton, ON) putting away one of his team-high 14 kills on the day to put the Gryphons ahead 29-28.
A big block on the ensuing point from Gryphons 6'7" rookie middle,
Jacob Bailey (London, ON) would give the Gryphons their first set of the 2021-22 campaign and tie the match at a set apiece.
The Gryphons were able to carry that momentum into the 3rd set, with team captain
Arjun Selhi (Mississauga, ON) finishing off one of his 7 kills on the night to put Guelph in front 19-18. The 10-time OUA champion Marauders would respond from there, however, with McMaster ending the 3rd set on a 7-2 run to take a 2-sets-to-1 lead. The 4th set was once again a competitive one, with the Gryphons once again showing some great play defensively, including several big blocks from 6'5" second-year outside hitter,
Nicolas Gumienik. After another kill by
Jonathan Pickett, the Gryphons inched closer to tying the match at 2-sets-apiece as they led 21-16. However, the Marauders would again take control late in the set, ending the set on a 9-2 run to take the 4th set 25-23 and the match 3-sets-to-1.
An injury to Gryphons third-year setter
Gideon Dresser forced the Winnipeg native to exit the match in the 2nd set. Prior to leaving, Dresser had impressed, racking up 18 assists while providing excellent service for the Gryphs. With Dresser out, in stepped Gryphon rookie
Jack Richards, who picked up right where Dresser had left off, with the first-year London, Ontario native recording 14 assists to go along with 2 digs. The Gryphons (0-2) will now hit the road for their next two games, beginning with a November 20th road trip to Windsor to face the Lancers (0-2).
