Savannah Mackay
Blues Crew Communications
The Blues Men’s Volleyball team entered Saturday night's rematch against the Douglas College Royals at the Centre for Sports and Wellness with an intensity that continued throughout the evening. Outside hitter Kyle Hinchey started his debut in a Blues uniform strongly with an impressive kill. The score remained tight for the entirety of the first set, with Luke Tiegen advancing the score with back-to-back kills and an ace. Blocks by Reese Nowotny and Kai Haley Lo Yan finished out a long rally, forcing the Royals to take a timeout. This allowed Hinchey to secure the first set with an ace, displaying his promise for the Capilano Blues team.
The Royals started strong in the second set, responding well after losing the first. The Blues came out and matched the energy, proving their resilience to keep the score tight. Quentin Middleton helped to maintain momentum after long rallies and provided strong offence for the team with two kills and an ace. The intensity of the game continued throughout the second set, with a controversial call giving the Blues a point. This led to a push by the Royals, allowing them to pull away in points and securing the second set 25-20.
The Blues reset after the second and came back stronger in the third. Shub Wander opened with an early kill, giving Capilano a 3-2 lead. The game remained intense, with high-pressure rallies and strong offensive plays from Tiegen working in the Blues’ favour. Hinchey and Middleton each added two more kills, while defensive efforts from Nowotny and Teigen helped the team maintain momentum. The Blues' strong defensive skills, as well as favourable technical calls, led Capilano to finish out the third set, taking it 25-21.
The fourth set proved to be the most intense of the evening, with one yellow card and two red cards issued, shifting the momentum of the game. After a back-and-forth fourth set, Tiegan proved himself valuable once again, getting an ace and securing the push against the Royals' heightened offence. After Douglas provided a push-back and tied the game 24-24, Middleton applied pressure with a huge block, bringing the game to match point and clinching the win for his team.
The Blues now hit the road, travelling to Nanaimo, where they will meet the Vancouver Island University Mariners Jan. 16 and 17. The next home games for Capilano take place on Feb 13. at 8 p.m. and Feb 14. at 6 p.m. back at CapU's Centre for Sport and Wellness.
