TORONTO - No. 1 Fanshawe Falcons (18-0, 1st West) won the 2019 OCAA Men's Volleyball Championship with a five-set victory over the No. 4 Humber Hawks (16-2, 2nd West), 25-21, 18-25, 25-17, 25-22 and 15-11 Saturday night, at Humber College.
The Falcons came out hot opening the game with a 4-1 run. Fanshawe would force the Hawks to take their first timeout following a Zach Albert's ace making the score 8-3. Humber would cut the Falcons lead down to two following a 5-2 run, highlighted by a Jake Gomes ace. That would prove to be the last run for a while in frame, as both teams would trade points up until a Humber timeout with the score 23-20. A Cole Jordan kill would put the Falcons on set point following the break. A James Jackson kill two possessions later would give the Falcons the first set taking it 25-21.
The teams would continue the back and forth action into the second set. Dylan Devesceri and Jackson would lead the way for their side, both picking up three early points. Humber was able to build a 15-12 lead coming off a Kamyn Wilkins ace. An Andrew Blakey kill, followed by a Devesceri block forced Fanshawe to take their first timeout down, 17-13. Humber reached the 20-point mark first off a huge Wilkins block following a crazy rally. Devesceri continued to dominate for Humber as he had seven points for the Hawks by the time Fanshawe called their second timeout down, 22-16. A block followed by a kill by Wilkins but the Hawks on match point. The Falcons would send a hit wide on the next possession as Humber took the second set 25-18
The Fanshawe Falcons would again come out strong to open the third set opening up a 6-2 lead. Three straight points would bring the Hawks back within one with John Obi and Devesceri providing the spark. Two straight kills by the Falcons Sebastian Lethbridge and Jackson would push their lead back up to three, stunting the Humber rally. Albert and Jackson would deliver back-to-back kills later in the set prompting a Humber timeout with the score 15-10. Both teams traded kills before a Mitch McFadden block put Fanshawe at the 20-point mark. A Jackson ace would put the Falcons on set point before Albert would close it out with a kill, as Fanshawe took the third 25-17.
With their backs against the wall, Humber came out swinging in the fourth, scoring five straight points. Blakey led the way for Humber with two big aces as Fanshawe was forced to take an early timeout. The Falcons were able to get on the board but a kill, but Obi followed by a Gomes ace pushed the Hawks lead to 8-1. Fanshawe was able to cut the Humber lead down to four, but the Hawks were able to answer with a run of their own, capped off by Obi. Two straight blocks by Mike Liscumb followed by an Albert ace, led to a Hawks timeout the score now 19-14. The Falcons would go on a late run pulling to within two before an Obi kill put the Hawks on match point. The Falcons would answer with one more point before Devesceri would deliver a kill off the Fanshawe block giving Humber the set 25-22, forcing a do or die set for OCAA gold.
Rrezart Sadiku opened up the first set with an ace for Humber followed by a Gomes block. The Falcons would answer right back with two kills by McFadden and Jackson tying things up. Fanshawe would pull ahead with four straight points, with McFadden picking up another point, putting them up 6-3. The Hawks wouldn't back down tying things back up at seven following an Obi block. Albert sent the Falcons up one with a kill as the teams switched sides with the score 8-7.
Fanshawe would take the first point after the break as a Wilkins tip went just wide leading to a Humber timeout. Wilkins delivered a kill following the timeout, and Sadiku tied things up with a kill on the next possession. Another Wilkins kill put the Hawks up one before two straight blocks by Liscumb and McFadden gave Fanshawe back the lead. Sam Otten served up an ace on the next possession forcing Humber to take their final timeout with the Falcons now up 12-10. McFadden continued with his late game heroics, delivering another block before Fanshawe hit match point on a Humber hit that went wide. Jordan delivered the final blow for the Falcons with a kill, as they took the final set 15-11.
With the win the Falcons will take home their second straight OCAA men's volleyball gold medal and third in the last four years.
Second-year outside hitter Devesceri was named the player of the game for the Hawks, finishing with 20 points coming off 17 kills and three blocks.
Fourth-year setter Lethbridge was named the player of the game for the Falcons, finishing 35 assists along with two kills.
Fanshawe's fourth-year outside hitter Albert was named the Championship's Most Valuable Player averaging 3.64 kills-per-set over three games.
Championship All-Stars
Brayden Stoffers, Redeemer Royals
Dylan Devesceri, Humber Hawks
Jake Gomes, Humber Hawks
John Obi, Humber Hawks
James Jackson, Fanshawe Falcons
Sebastian Lethbridge, Fanshawe Falcons
Championship MVP
Zach Albert, Fanshawe Falcons