The Avalanche Volleyball team rebounded from four tough losses on the island with a dramatic 3-2 victory over the red-hot Douglas Royals on Friday night at home in Cranbrook.
The Royals, entering the match as the red-hot team in the Pacwest, seized an early lead in the first set. However, the Avalanche responded with a strong defense, highlighted by timely blocks from Cade Schindel and Reed Grusing, to secure the first set 25-22. The Royals countered in the following sets, with Marvin Tumusiime leading the offense and strong serving, taking the next two sets to lead the match 2-1.
Facing the prospect of a fifth consecutive loss, the Avalanche regained momentum in the fourth set. Behind five aces and five blocks, the team won 25-18, forcing a decisive fifth set. What followed was a rollercoaster finish, with the Avalanche jumping to an 8-2 lead, only to see the Royals fight back and take an 11-10 advantage. With the match on the line, rookie middle blocker Luke Margenau came off the bench and sealed the victory with a massive solo block at 16-14, securing the 15th win of the season for the Avalanche.
Diego Policarpo led all scorers with 29 points, while Reed Grusing and Ethan Braam contributed 15 and 9 points, respectively. Head Coach Farrero praised his team's resilience after the victory, stating, "Wow, what a match. I thought tonight was a great test of our character because Douglas is so athletic and served so tough the entire match. We've been working hard on our block throughout the past two weeks, and I thought that really showed tonight. How fitting that we ended the match on a big solo block by Luke. His energy was infectious tonight, and that was an incredible block to win the match and get back in the win column."
On Saturday evening, with the Pacwest playoff matchups already locked in, the Avalanche took the opportunity to rest several key players, including Diego Policarpo, Reed Grusing, Boston Thiessen, and Ethan Braam. Despite this, the team showed great depth and resilience, with a number of players stepping up to take on more responsibility. While the Royals ultimately took the match 3-0 (25-17, 25-23, 27-25), the Avalanche displayed moments of brilliance, and the younger players gained valuable experience. Four different players—Jace Wilson, Albert Francisco, Noah Hadwen, and Jhet Bowen—tied for the team lead in points with 5 each. Setter Brett Kester registered 20 assists, while the team recorded 25 digs in the effort.
The Avalanche wrap up the regular season with a 15-5 record and will enter the Pacwest Conference Championships as the top seed next weekend in Nanaimo.
