Donovan leads Tigers in close loss to Sherbrooke

The Dalhousie Tigers fell to the Sherbrooke Vert et Or in a five-set match, 3-2 , on Saturday at Yvon Lamarche.

The first period saw several momentum shifts. The Vert et Or initially pulled ahead with a 4-1 lead, aided by a service ace from Hugo Ouellet. Dalhousie responded with a series of kills from Michael Donovan and Josh DeYoung, leveling the score at 5-5. Both teams traded points until the Vert et Or capitalized on multiple Dalhousie service errors to secure a 14-10 advantage. Despite a late rally from Dalhousie, the Vert et Or closed out the period with a service ace from Jonathan Portelance, winning 25-19.

In the second period, Dalhousie began with a strong start, capitalizing on multiple attack errors by the Vert et Or to take a 4-0 lead, prompting a timeout. After the break, the Vert et Or managed to score two consecutive points, but Dalhousie extended their lead again with a series of plays including a service ace by Matthew McCarvell at 10-4. The Vert et Or attempted a comeback, with Julien Vanier contributing several kills, tightening the score to 14-10. However, Dalhousie maintained their advantage and closed the period with a 25-22 win, highlighted by Michael Donovan's pivotal kill from Thomas Watchman to secure the final point.

The third period saw several notable streaks and shifts in momentum. Dalhousie initially took the lead, with Michael Donovan's kill putting them ahead 3-2 after an early back-and-forth. The Vert et Or responded with a four-point run, driven by kills from Jérémy Rainville and Yoan David, to lead 6-3. Dalhousie regained control through a series of strategic plays, including a service ace from Josh DeYoung at 13-9, extending their lead further. A strong finish by Dalhousie featured a sequence of four consecutive points, concluding the period with a kill by Jacob Oyler to secure a 25-14 victory.

In the fourth period, the Vert et Or started strong with Jonathan Portelance contributing an attack error from Dalhousie's Michael Donovan, resulting in an early 1-0 lead. Dalhousie quickly responded, leveling the score at 1-1 with a kill by Donovan. The Vert et Or's Gregoire Mercier-Noel then secured a significant lead, scoring a service ace and capitalizing on consecutive attack errors by Dalhousie's Jacob Oyler, extending their advantage to 5-2. Despite a timeout called by Dalhousie at 7-3, the Vert et Or maintained their momentum, with Yoan David and Gregoire Mercier-Noel making key plays. Dalhousie's Michael Donovan, with support from teammates, attempted to close the gap, but the Vert et Or's consistent performance, including a service ace by Julien Vanier, ultimately clinched the period at 25-17 in favor of the home team.

In the fifth period, the Vert et Or started strong with Julien Vanier scoring a kill at the beginning, setting the tone for a competitive match. Dalhousie responded with Michael Donovan's kill, tying the score at 1-1. The Vert et Or managed to pull ahead to a 5-2 lead, prompting a timeout from Dalhousie at that point. Despite a service ace by Michael Donovan narrowing the gap to 6-4, the Vert et Or maintained their advantage with consistent scoring from Gregoire Mercier-Noel and Yoan David. Dalhousie called another timeout at 12-8, and although they managed to close the gap to 14-12, the Vert et Or secured the period with a final kill by Gregoire Mercier-Noel, concluding the period at 15-12.

Michael Donovan led Dalhousie in points, amassing 21.5 points across five games. He registered 20 kills with an attack percentage of .295. Dillan Morphet stood out with a perfect attack percentage of 1.000, contributing 2 kills. Matthew McCarvell was a key player in defense and blocking, recording 6 total blocks. Additionally, Thomas Watchman was pivotal in setting, providing a team-high 38 assists. These players made significant contributions in their respective roles, highlighting their importance to the team's performance.

Dalhousie has an overall record of two wins and four losses, with a conference record of one win and ten losses. The Vert et Or hold an overall record of four wins and two losses, and a strong conference record of ten wins and one loss.