The Vancouver Island University Mariners topped the University of the Fraser Valley men's volleyball team in three straight sets on Friday evening in Nanaimo.

The Mariners were tough to crack defensively – they limited the Cascades to a .093 hitting percentage for the game, winning by set scores of 25-14, 25-20 and 25-21.

"I thought it was great for us to play a team that's at a high level and see what's needed to be successful in this league," UFV head coach Nathan Bennett said. "I'm happy this match has happened so early in the season – it gives us a bar to reach, and we have a few months to be able to hit it. They're a good team, and I give them all the credit in the world. But we have to be better, and we now know what to shoot for."

Landon Uy had a solid performance for the Cascades, registering 12 kills with a .231 hitting percentage. Caleb Kastelein added six kills, Jackson Obst had five, and setter Graham Walkey paced the UFV squad with seven digs in addition to posting 19 assists.

Jeff Webb had a big night for the Mariners, racking up 10 kills on 15 swings, Dario De Queiroz-Pereira had five service aces, and Adam Kapteyn chipped in with five kills and two blocks.

The two teams clash once again on Saturday (3 p.m., pacwestbc.tv) to close out the weekend series.