The Georgian College men’s volleyball team was stunned in the first round of the provincial collegiate playoffs last weekend, as they dropped a five-set thriller to eight-seed St. Clair.
The Grizzlies had a nearly flawless regular season, notching an impressive 17-1 record and leaving them with the number one seed entering the postseason. They were also listed in the top 10 of the most recent Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association national rankings.
However, as all sports fans know, you can throw the records out once the playoffs begin, and the underdog team from St. Clair, which went 6-12 during the regular season, pulled off the improbable upset.
After losing the first two sets (22-25, 26-28) at Michele McConney Court in Barrie, the Grizzlies battled back by winning the following two sets, forcing a fifth and final game to 15.
But St. Clair, based in Windsor, Ont., got off to an early lead in the decisive set, and fended off a late Georgian push to hang on 15-12.
The jubilant St. Clair squad jumped around the court and chanted in celebration, while the Grizzlies solemnly huddled before the two teams shook hands.
St. Clair advances to play Conestoga College in the provincial quarterfinals, where they will once again be underdogs.
As for Georgian, it’s unclear where the men’s program goes from here, but there’s likely to be a significant amount of turnover after this year. Nearly half (7 of 15) of the players on the Grizzlies’ roster are third- or fourth-years.
This includes outside hitter Ryan Vriezema (Midhurst, Ont.), who led the team in kills per set, as well as Josiah Grimm (Orangeville, Ont.), the squad’s top net-front defender.
Most college programs only last for three years.
Meanwhile, the Georgian women’s team is also done for the season after failing to qualify for the postseason. The Grizzlies only won two games all year, against 16 losses, leaving them outside the top eight in the Ontario Collegiate Athletic Association’s east division.
