Laval outlasts Tigers

QUEBEC CITY – In a thrilling five-set battle, the Laval Rouge et Or defeated the Dalhousie Tigers 3-2 (25-19, 22-25, 25-15, 23-25, 15-10) on Friday night at the PEPS gymnasium.

Laval, led by standout performances from Max Losier and Jacob Gendron, improved to 4-2 on the season, while Dalhousie fell to 0-6 in the RSEQ standings.

The match was a rollercoaster, with each team trading sets. Laval came out strong in the first set, winning 25-19 behind Losier's 6 kills and 5 digs. Dalhousie responded in set two, led by Michael Donovan's 9 kills, to tie the match with a 25-22 victory.

In the third set, Laval regained control with an impressive 25-15 win, as Gendron registered 5 kills on just 7 attempts. Dalhousie rallied in set four, forcing a fifth set with a 25-23 win, highlighted by Donovan's 7 kills and 2 blocks. However, Laval was too strong in the final set, clinching the match with a 15-10 victory, fueled by 3 kills from Losier and solid serving from Jonathan Addy.

Losier led Laval with 20 kills and 22.5 points, while Gendron added 13 kills and 18.5 points. Terell Tchouassi contributed 12 kills and 13.5 points. The Rouge et Or's attack efficiency of .328 was key, while Dalhousie struggled with a .200 team hitting percentage.

Dalhousie's Donovan was the standout performer, registering 24 kills and 27 points in the loss. Josh DeYoung added 10.5 points, but Dalhousie's attack faltered in the decisive fifth set, hitting just .059.

With the win, Laval moves closer to the top of the RSEQ standings, while Dalhousie will look to regroup before their rematch with Laval on Saturday.