Falcons Take Top Spot in OCAA West Division

(London, ON) – The Fanshawe Falcons men's volleyball team (6-1) took on the Cambrian Golden Shield (6-2) Saturday evening at the Glenn Johnston Athletic Centre in a battle for the top spot in the OCAA West Division, with the Falcons making a statement by securing a four-set victory.

Fanshawe set the tone early, cruising to a 25-16 win in the first set and getting the hometown crowd into it right away. Tanner Paterson continues his excellent season, as the Falcons' all-time leader in points, kills, and service aces added to his totals throughout the night. He finished with a team-high 19 points on 16 kills and three aces, serving as a driving force behind the opening-set win.

The second set, while tighter, still went the Birds' way by a score of 25-21. Jayden Crowther (London, ON) was outstanding all match, coming up with several timely kills and finishing with 13 points on the night. It felt like every time Crowther was set for an attack, Cambrian had no chance to make a play. His presence at the net was also crucial to the Falcons' defensive success.

The third set was hard-fought on both sides. Cambrian jumped out to an early lead, but Fanshawe clawed back from a four-point deficit to tie the set at 18. However, the top-seeded Golden Shield held their ground and escaped with a 25-23 win to force a fourth set.

The fourth set saw the Birds take back control and dominate. Fanshawe's attackers were simply too much for Cambrian to handle, and after building a 24-17 lead, Evan Kirkpatrick (Gananoque, ON) came off the bench to deliver the decisive kill, one of his 10 points on the night.

With the win, the Falcons claimed sole possession of the number-one seed in the OCAA West Division. There will be little time to celebrate, as the men's team returns to action tomorrow afternoon for a matchup against the Boreal Vipers (0-7) at 2:00 p.m. at the Glenn Johnston Athletic Centre.

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