Team Canada won their first game of the 2024 Men’s Volleyball Nations League in Antalya, Turkey on Tuesday. In four sets, Canada beat the home nation from Turkey, 17-25, 25-23, 25-21, 25-21.
Three Canadians reached double digits in points. Outside hitter Stephen Maar of Aurora, Ontario had 24 total points. He had 19 attack points and five aces. Fynnian McCarthy of Lake Country, British Columbia had 14 total points. He had eight attack points, three aces, and three block points. Eric Loeppky of Steinbach, Manitoba had 12 total points as he had 11 attack points and one ace.
This was actually an impressive win for Team Canada considering a few factors. First, Canada got off to a slow start, but were able to bounce back and get the key victory. Second, Canada got the win in an environment where the crowd was pro Turkey. Third, one must realize that Canada has already clinched a spot for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, while Turkey is in the process of trying to qualify. Canada was able to match and even exceed Turkey’s level of intensity throughout the four sets of action. We also saw the strong progress of McCarthy, who is a late bloomer to volleyball, after playing hockey and basketball. Canada next plays Poland on Thursday.
