Swept up in winning

Niagara College hoops, V-ball teams combine to compile 6-0 road record

Niagara found northern hospitality to its liking on the weekend opening the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association volleyball season with two-game sweeps.

In Sudbury the Knights men’s and women’s teams combined to take 12 of 15 seats in victories over the Cambrian Golden Shield and Boreal Viperes.

In the second set, we learned that we can’t take our foot off the gas on any team in the league.”

Niagara College men’s volleyball head coach Nathan Groenveld

The Niagara men defeated Cambrian 3-1 Friday night before sweeping Boreal 3-0 the following afternoon.

Knights head coach Nathan Groenveld, speaking from the experience of seven years at the helm, said it’s never easy to hit the court game-ready after the longest road trip of the regular season.

“This is always a tough game to play, with a long bus ride and then right into the game,” he said after the season opener at Cambrian.

The way the Knights served and took away the Golden Shield’s options to get back into the game impressed Groenveld, a one-time all Canadian who played professional volleyball in Qatar.

“Jaydon Milne was impressive from the baseline with seven aces,” he said. “Offensively, I thought Aidan Atkinson was awesome distributing and kept us in rhythm all night.”

Robbie Zalewski was singled

out for praise on the strength of his passing and defence against

Cambrian.

“He kept a bunch of rallies alive and kept giving us opportunities to score points off his defence,” Groenveld said.

A loss in the second set was an eye opener for Niagara, hopefully one the players won’t forget going forward.

“In the second set, we learned that we can’t take our foot off the gas on any team in the league,” Groenveld said. “I thought we got a little complacent and that let Cambrian get some confidence and take the set.”

Ashton Fehr hit for high efficiency and used his athleticism to block the net in his Niagara debut in the game against Boreal.

Next action for the Knights men’s team is Thursday in Hamilton against the 0-2 Mohawk Mountaineers.

BERND FRANKE/POSTMEDIA NEWS Niagara's Jordon McDonald, shown driving to the net in this November 2016 file photo, recorded a double double as the Knights improved to 2-0 in men's college basketball.