Laval Takes Excalibur Gold
The Laval Rouge et Or claimed the gold medal at the 31st annual Excalibur Classic men’s volleyball tournament at York University on Sunday, Jan.10, defeating the Toronto Ruffriders of the Ontario Volleyball Association in dramatic fashion by a 3-1 score. Laval edged Toronto 25-21, 25-22, 18-25, 25-22 to secure the tournament title. The Rouge et Or held off a strong rally from the Ruffriders in the fourth and deciding game as Toronto erased a five-point deficit to briefly claim the lead before succumbing to the top-ranked team in the CIS.
Tournament MVP honours went to Laval’s Frederic Desbiens, who collected three aces in the final game, including the final point to win the matchup.
Karl De Granpre and Jonathan Marcoux were game all-stars for the Rouge et Or, while Mike Spence and Ryan Vandenburg were recognized for Toronto.
The Brandon Bobcats claimed the bronze medal earlier in the day with a convincing 3-1 decision over the Sherbrooke Vert et Or. Brandon took the matches 25-18, 25-18, 22-25 and finished the day off with a strong 25-14 victory.
