Box Score Game Summary

The Waterloo men's volleyball team opened their 2012-13 season with a 3-2 (19-25, 25-19, 25-23, 24-26, 15-13) win over the Guelph Gryphons, Friday night on the road.

It was an incredibly close match that came down to the fifth set, but the Warriors ultimately came out on top with a 15-13 win over the Gryphons in the final frame. 
  
The first set was a deceiving indication as to how the game was going to unfold as the Gryphons were able to capitalize on several unfortunate Warrior mishaps to take the set 25-19.  Phillip Wessel (Cambridge, Ont) and Marc Wilson (Stratford, Ont) were vicious at the net to shut down the Warrior opposition and allowing Winston Rosser (Whitby, Ont) the opportunity to kill the set point to establish an early Gryphon lead.
 
However, the Warriors were quick to jump on their mistakes in the previous set as they took an early 6-2 lead that they were able to maintain throughout to pull off a 25-19 win as Zachary Doherty (Goderich/) (Goderich, Ont) sealed the second set.
 
Marc Wilson was able to establish an early Gryphon lead in the third set with a huge block to thwart the Warrior momentum.  However, the Warriors remained unfazed as control of the set swapped sporadically between both teams.  In the dying stages of the third, the Gryphons found themselves trailing by six and they could not fight their way back with Waterloo taking it 25-23.
 
No team was able to pull ahead by more than two in the fourth until Whittaker was able to steal the Warrior momentum and regain control as the Gryphons jumped ahead 23-21.  With a last ditch effort by the Warriors, the game was forced to 26, but following a line violation, Winston Rosser was able to steal the 26^th point to send the match to five.
 
The fifth set saw some of the best rallies of the night, but neither team was able to establish a commanding lead.  The Warriors led by third year outside hitter Fiodar Kazhamiaka (Waterloo/) took control near the end of the set and Waterloo edged the Gryphons 15-13 to take the match.

Kazhamiaka showed he will be a force to be reckon with yet again this season tallying a game high 18 kills.  He also posted one service ace and five digs in the match.  Doherty was not far behind his teammate with 15 kills of his own while adding five blocks for the 20 point night. 

Third year middle Jordan Dyck (St. Catharines/) also had an impressive night for the black and gold with 12 kills and four blocks.  Setting up the Warriors all night was Scott Thomson (St. Marys/) who had 35 assists on the night while fifth year Hussein Abdo (Ottawa) chipped in with 12.

The Warriors have the rest of the week off before returning to action for a pair of road games next weekend against Western on Friday and Windsor on Saturday.