The Niagara College men's volleyball program wrapped up their 2013-14 pre-season in a big way capturing a gold medal at the annual Sting Challenge Men's Volleyball tournament. The event saw eight total teams compete and the Knights defeated the Fanshawe Falcons 3-0 in the gold medal match.

Niagara College men's volleyball head coach Nathan Groenveld commented "this tournament featured some of the top OCAA teams and it gave us a great measuring stick for where we are as a group. I am very proud of the compete level from our team, and our composure during the entire weekend."

The Knights played a total of four matches over the two day event. The opening day saw the Knights defeat the Canadian Mennonite University Blazers and the Durham College Lords. Both matches were 3-0.

Day two saw the Knights earn a hard fought five-set victory over the Humber Hawks and a three set victory over the Fanshawe Falcons in the Championship match.

Coach Groenveld felt that a key to the Knights success was his team's "block defense, which gave us a lot of points and point scoring opportunities."

Controlling the net for the Knights were a pair of big bodies in six-foot-eight Nathan Snippe (Smithville) and six foot-five Logan Varga (Brantford). Varga was named a tournament all-star for his performance.

Offensively the Knights were quarterbacked by first year setter Ricky Brar (Brampton). The six-foot-two fitness and health promotion student is in his first year with the program, and Coach Groenveld added "Ricky kept our offence firing all weekend, and put us in a great situation to be successful."

The offensive firepower was provided by the outside hitter duo of Jeff Scott (Georgetown) and Daniel Groenveld (Welland). Scott is the reigning OCAA men's volleyball Rookie of the Year, while Groenveld joined the Knights after competing for two seasons as a member of the McMaster University Marauders.

Scott was named a tournament all-star for his performance while, Groenveld was selected as tournament MVP.

Coach Geoenveld continued "Seneca really ran a fantastic event, and this served as a great final tune-up before the regular season which opens with a road trip next weekend to Sudbury to face Cambrian and Boreal."