Jefferson Hagen, MacEwan Athletics
KELOWNA, B.C. – The wheels fell off for the MacEwan Griffins men's volleyball team in a straight-sets defeat to the UBC-Okanagan Heat in Canada West men's volleyball action on Saturday night.
With the 3-0 loss (25-20, 25-17, 25-21), MacEwan ended up on the wrong end of a weekend sweep to a team that hadn't won yet this season.
It's a low point for the Griffins, who've sunk into the Canada West cellar at 2-18 behind the now 2-16 Heat.
"We seemed ready," said head coach Brad Poplawski. "We had a great warmup. We had a good start, up 6-2. Obviously, it's early, but I liked our mojo to start.
"Then, just complete implosion. I'm shocked and I'm sad. I honestly have no idea."
On the heels of setting a new school record with 32 kills in Friday's 3-2 loss, Max Vriend again led the Griffins, but was held to just 11 in the three-set defeat.
The Barrhead product also managed three service aces, two of which came late in the third set when it seemed the Griffins would turn the match around. The fifth-year veteran held court at the service line for a 5-0 MacEwan run to gain a 20-19 advantage, but they were unable to build off of it. The Heat took six of the final seven points to end the night early.
"Max played well for a few points, which got us back in it and then they side out and we just implode," said Poplawski. "If you can't pass, you can't play and right now we can't pass. It's impossible to get anything done."
Denham O'Reilly led the Heat with 13 kills, while Max Heppell added 12.
The Griffins next host Thompson Rivers University (5-13) on Feb. 7-8 for their final two matches of the season.
