Langley, BC – The University of the Fraser Valley men's volleyball team started their 2023-24 Canada West season off with a bang on Friday, knocking off the defending national champion Trinity Western Spartans in four sets. The Cascades closed out the match with set scores of 25-23, 20-25, 25-17, and 25-20 enroute to their first victory of the season. 

This was the first time the Cascades have defeated their local rival in a Canada West matchup since joining the league in 2021.  

As it happened: 
Both teams traded blows in the opening set, with the Spartans hitting .444 and the Cascades producing a .421 hitting percentage in the frame. With the score level at 22, the Cascades took advantage of a pair of TWU errors to set up set point, and on the second chance Easton Sarich knocked home his fifth kill of the set to take it 25-23.

Trinity Western grabbed control of the second set early, going up 12-5 thanks in part to three kills and an ace from Henry Rempel. The Cascades tried to gain ground in the late stage of the set, but it was too late and the Spartans took it 25-20.

UFV bounced back in the third, jumping out to leads of 14-7 and 23-13, as setter turned outside hitter Jonas Van Huizen logged a pair of kills and three aces to help the Cascades capture the set 25-17.

The teams traded runs to 16-16 in the fourth set, before kills from Jonas Van Huizen and Nimo Benne started to turn the momentum in the favour of UFV. Benne continued to go to work from there, notching two more kills and a solo block to set up match point at 24-19. TWU managed to stave off the first attempt, but a Ryan Hampe kill closed out the opening game win for the Cascades 25-20.

Top performers: 
Jonas Van Huizen was a dominant force all match long, posting team-highs with 13 kills, four aces, and eight digs. The setter turned outside hitter logged a .435 hitting percentage in the effort.

Benne notched 11 kills for UFV and Hampe finished with eight kills and five blocks from the middle position, while setter Max Paddock ended the game with 31 assists.

Henry Rempel shouldered the load for the Spartans with 16 kills and three aces.

Quotable:
Cascades head coach Nathan Bennett

"Everyone stepped their game up tonight, that's for sure, but I told Jonas [Van Huizen] today that he really arrived on the stage as a left side hitter. He made a statement tonight."

"Men's volleyball in Canada West is a meat grinder, and you have to be on your game every time you step on the floor, so it's excellent that we got the win tonight. We check that box for Friday, but we have already put it in our rear view, and we are looking ahead to Saturday, and after that we are hosting Manitoba next week. It's great to celebrate a little bit, but those celebrations don't last too long. " 

Up next:
The Cascades now get set for the rematch with the Spartans on Saturday at 6pm in the Langley Events Centre. The game is also available live and on demand at Canada West TV.