The Humber Hawks men's volleyball team defeated the Conestoga Condors on Wednesday night, extending their winning streak to three games.
The Condors offered the Hawks a strong challenge, but Humber players kept their cool and showed excellent teamwork to finish the season undefeated. The Hawks now boast a 10-0 record, the only undefeated Ontario College Athletic Association team. But despite its blank sheet, the team is fourth in the national rankings.
Second-year player Caleb Huot noticed their opponent's attitude toward competition in Wednesday’s match.
“Obviously we're undefeated right now, but we came into this game knowing they're going to come out strong, which they did. They came out strong, but we held our own, and we just played hard," Huot said.
There were solid serves and strong defensive efforts from the Conders, but the Hawks immediately away established their dominance in the opening set. The tone of the game was established by Humber's skill to take advantage of the Condors' mistakes.
The Hawks kept control thanks to crucial plays from Huot and steady scoring from outside hitter Kyle Gray-Phillips.
“Going out there, playing my game and staying composed,” Gray-Phillips said of his mindset toward the match versus the Condors.
Humber kept up its rhythm thanks to his persistent focus, especially in the second and third sets' intense strikes in the third quarter of the game Conestoga tried to match Humber's speed with hard serves and fast attacks, but the Condors' attempts were blocked by the Hawks' defensive and skilful block work.
Humber's confidence was on its highest level by the third set, when they won smoothly to end the match. The Hawks took the series 25-22, 25-23 and 25-18.
Conestoga pressured the Hawks to play at their highest level, but Humber won because of their determination and teamwork, Huot said.
“As a team, we motivate each other every single day at practice," and it’s that dedication and hard work that guides the team's performance, he said.
Throughout the game, the Hawks showed their flexibility, a defining characteristic of their success this year.
Their complete roster ensures each player plays a part in their wins, creating an extensive and flexible team dynamic. The Hawks are becoming stronger every game and are firmly focused on having a season worthy of winning the championship.
As they prepare for their upcoming game against St. Clair Saints in Windsor, Ont., this Saturday, the Hawks want to keep up their winning streak. Their undefeated record and desire for a championship season will likely be tested once more in this matchup.
