GUELPH, Ont. - The University of Guelph Gryphons men's volleyball team took the court on Friday night (Feb. 17) for a showdown with the RMC Paladins in a critical match for the Gryphons playoff hopes. The Gryphons came into Friday's match in 9th place in the OUA standings and with two games remaining on the regular season schedule, both against the Paladins. With the top 8 teams making the playoffs the Gryphons would need a pair of wins and help to find their way into the postseason. Their performance on Friday, a 3-0 win over RMC (25-20, 25-18, 25-21), goes a long way in helping their playoff hopes. 

The game began with both teams looking ready for their penultimate regular season game, playing a tightly-contested back-and-forth match until 12-11 mark. With a one point lead the Gryphons would kick their game into the next gear, allowing back-to-back RMC scores just once for the remainder of the set to take it 25-20. The second set saw the Gryphons come out with much more control over the momentum. The Gryphons built a quick lead that lasted up until late in the set when the Paladins pulled to with one, 17-16. The U of G men would not let it get closer than that, going on an 8-4 run to take the all-important two set lead. In the third, and ultimately final set, the Gryphons came out ready to put the match away, getting out to their largest lead of the night at the 18-6 mark in the set. Despite a strong effort from RMC in a comeback attempt, they would eventually fall short and the Gryphons would take the straight set win with a 25-21 third set victory. 

The Gryphon win was led by a pair of outside hitters in team captain Arjun Selhi and Jacob Schweyer. Selhi, a 5th-year Mississauga native, finished the match with 11 kills and 12 points, tying the highest scorer on the Paladins. Schweyer meanwhile accumulated 18 points with 13 kills on 18 attacks while also adding 4 service aces. Standout setter Jack Richards would lead the Gryphons in kill assists, totaling 28 by the end of the three set match. The Gryphons will look for repeat performances from their best players again tomorrow when they return to the court for the second match of their back-to-back series with the Paladins. That game will have plenty more playoff implications as results from around the league begin to pour in on Friday (Feb. 17) and Saturday (Feb. 18). Tickets for the critical game are available at gryphons.ca/tickets and fans unable to attend can catch all the action live, online at www.oua.tv.