varsity news
Durham Lords Media Release
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Lords men’s volleyball eyeing up the provincial crown
OCAA Men’s Volleyball Championship
February 25-27, 2010
Hosted by Redeemer University College (Ancaster, Ont.)
Championship Website: www.bringit2010.com
ANCASTER, Ont. – The Durham College men’s volleyball team will make its’ return to the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) Championship this weekend which will take place in Ancaster, Ont. from February 25-27, 2010.
The championship will kick off with the annual championship banquet on Thursday, February 25 at 9 a.m. followed by quarter-final action on day one. The championship will wrap up on Saturday, February 27 with the gold medal match scheduled to take place at 5 p.m.
The provincial championship returns to the final eight format with 12 games scheduled to run during the three day championship.
The championship field will consist of:
Seneca College, North York (16-2, east region champions)
Humber College, Etobicoke (14-2, west region champions)
Durham College, Oshawa (14-4, second place east region)
Redeemer University College, Ancaster (13-3, second place west region)
Mohawk College, Hamilton (10-6, qualifier)
Fanshawe College, London (7-9, qualifier)
Algonquin College, Ottawa (13-5, qualifier)
Nipissing University, North Bay (12-4, qualifier)
The Lords will be in the opening match of the championship going up against Nipissing University in the quarter-finals. First serve is at 2 p.m.
After a slow start which saw the Lords drop their first two conference matches of the season, Durham turned their season around winning 14 of their last 16 matches. The Lords 14-4 conference record was good enough for second place in the East region, earning them an automatic entry into the championship.
The Lords veteran squad can attack from anywhere on the court, featuring six players averaging over two points per game. James Mayer (Pentanguishene, Ont.), Matt Mahorn (Whitby, Ont.), Dave McMann (Elmvale, Ont.), Jeff Torraville (Oshawa, Ont.) and Mike Goulding (Oshawa, Ont.) are all graduating this season, and would like nothing better to go out with a gold medal around their neck.
Mayer has been lethal from the service line, recording a team high 40 aces, including an OCAA record 12 in their regular season finale in Barrie. He is also in the top ten in regional scoring averaging 3.0 points per game.
The Lords last qualified for the OCAA championship in 2005-06, where they won the OCAA bronze medal, their third consecutive podium finish (2004 to 2006). Durham’s last OCAA title came in 1996, where the Lords defeated Humber in the gold medal match.
Nipissing finished in third place in the West region, having to beat the Fleming Knights in a qualifying game to punch their ticket into the championship. Nipissing looked confident in the playoff match, cruising to a 3-0 victory over the Knights.
The Lakers are led by fifth year setter Dave Keo, who made his return to OCAA volleyball after a two year layoff after playing with the Algonquin Thunder. Offensively, Andre Leblanc and Adam Leblanc are relied upon to get the job done as the twin brothers averaged 3.7 and 3.1 points per game respectively this season. In their freshman season (2008/09), they were both named OCAA all-stars.
Nipissing heads into the championship on a hot streak, having won 10 of their last 12 games and are 7-2 since the new year. This marks the Lakers first trip to the OCAA championship since 2006-07, after losses in the crossover matches in the past two years. Nipissing has never won a medal in OCAA men’s volleyball.
For more information on the 2010 OCAA Men’s Volleyball Championship, please contact Peter Reid (athletic coordinator) at the Redeemer University College athletic department at (905) 648-2139 ext 4267 or visit the championship website at www.bringit2010.com.
CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Game #1 – 2 p.m. - Nipissing Lakers vs. Durham Lords
Game #2 – 4 p.m. - Mohawk Mountaineers vs. Seneca Sting
Game #3 – 6 p.m. - Fanshawe Falcons vs. Redeemer Royals
Game #4 – 8 p.m. - Algonquin Thunder vs. Humber Hawks
Friday, February 26, 2010
Game #5 – 2 p.m. – Bronze Medal Quarter Finals
Game #6 – 4 p.m. – Bronze Medal Quarter Finals
Game #7 – 6 p.m. –Semi Finals
Game #8 – 8 p.m. – Semi Finals
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Bronze Semi Finals
Bronze Semi Final #1 – 9 a.m.
Bronze Semi Final #2 – 11 a.m.
Medal Round
Bronze Medal Game – 3 p.m.*
Gold Medal Game – 5 p.m.*
*Medal and Award Presentations will follow each game.
A QUICK LOOK AT THE DURHAM LORDS
Overall Record: 21-6
Conference Record: 14-4
DURHAM LORDS ROSTER
1 – Paul Luttjeboer (LS), Quinte
3 – Jimmy Ly (L), Mississauga
4 – James Mayer (LS), Pentanguishene
6 – Scott Burns (M), Pickering
7 – Matt Mahorn (M), Whitby
8 – Dave McMann (M), Elmvale
10 – Steve Clarey (LS/RS, Baltimore
11 – Jeff Torraville (S), Oshawa
13 – Mike Goulding (RS), Oshawa
15 - Mike Cracknell (M), Kincardine
Head Coach: Gord Williamson
Assistant Coach: Pat Henderson
Associate Coach: Dave Crabbe
Associate Coach: Scott Grundy
Therapist: Lindsey Knischewsky
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FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Scott Dennis
Sports Information and Marketing Coordinator
Durham College and UOIT Athletics
905.721.2000 Ext. 2784 (P)
905.721.3117 (F)
scott.dennis@dc-uoit.ca
