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Sarnia, ON
– The smallest school in LSSAA is a perfect 2-0
to start the junior boys volleyball season, as St.
Francois-Xavier defeated St. Patrick's 3-0 in
volleyball action Thursday afternoon.
The
Knights took the early lead in the first set, 7-3,
but consecutive net fouls would help the Irish tie
it back up at 10-10. But St. Francois would pull
back ahead off the serve of Alex Noel, whose four
aces and unreturned serves gave the Knights a five
point lead, causing the Irish to use a timeout to
try and regroup.
Jeff
Johnson would come back for the Knights with two
aces of his own to push lead close to a match point.
But the Irish would stay in the first set, after two
St. Francois long balls out of bounds and digs by
the Irish back line, St. Patrick's would cut into
the once seven point lead and trail by four.
But two
errors into the net and wide would end the set for
the Irish, as they fell short 25-19 to the Knights.
The second
set featured both teams utilizing the service, as
each team came out serving aces and unreturnable
balls. Graeme Brunet started with an ace for the
Irish, but the Knights James Roszt came back with
two of his own. Ryan Taylor had one for the Irish,
but again St. Francois would respond with two from
Josh Laplante and one from Cole Brydges, giving them
the early 13-7 lead in the second set.
Roszt
would become a big factor in the second set, coming
in with two blocks and a kill to push the lead to
16-9. Roszt would help end the set for the Knights,
as his powerful service lead to five ending points,
including two aces, as the Knights take the second
set 25-13.
In the
final set, the Knights got off to another good lead
following service by Noel, Johnson and a kill by
Roszt to lead 5-2. But Travis Garrity of St.
Patrick's came back with big points for his team,
blocking two kills and providing a kill of his own,
followed by another drop ball between the Knight
lines, t rally the Irish back to a 9-9 tie.
But the
Irish would start to commit errors, helping to
reestablish the Knights lead. St. Francois would
begin to take advantage of it with their service, as
Jacob Vaillancourt, Brydges and Johnson would each
provide an ace on their service, giving the Knights
a 18-11 lead.
St.
Francois would return the favour to the Irish,
committing errors of their own, as the Irish back
line again dug in deep, providing back support. Min
Kang hustled down a second hit shot behind the back
line and cleared it back over the net, which fell in
between the Knights front and back lines to cut the
lead to three.
But with
the Knights on match point, the Irish would error on
miscommunication, as fall just short of winning the
set 25-23.
"It was an
excellent game by our boys," said St. Francoise Head
Coach Dan Goulet. "We really get the spirit going
and they are really excited about what they are
doing."
St.
Francois is now 2-0 on the season after coming away
with a 2-1 over Northern on Tuesday in opening day
of the LSSAA season. The Knights have won 5 of 6
sets played, and are in line to make a good run into
the season.
"I think
we got a pretty good chance in any game we play,"
said Goulet. "They got the drive, and they really
wont to win."
St.
Francois-Xavier is the smallest school in LSSAA
athletics with a student body of 105 students.
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