Box Score Windsor, ON - Despite a strong effort, Western fell short in a tense five-set match against Montreal in the consolation semifinal at the 2026 U SPORTS Men's Volleyball Championship on Saturday.

"We're really proud of that effort to bounce back from that not very good game last night against a really high-quality team (Trinity Western) and to play another good team," said Mustangs Head Coach Jim Sage."

The Mustangs pushed Montreal to five sets and had a chance to win in the fourth, but ultimately, adjustments to the opposition's blocking strategy came too late. Sage highlighted the significance of giving all players an opportunity to participate in the national championship, stating, "We did make a concerted effort to try to get as many players into the court without jeopardizing the integrity of the game." Reflecting on the season, Sage emphasized the team's growth and spirit, adding, "The fact that we rebounded today showed true Mustang spirit and pride."

The Mustangs took the second and third sets with scores of 25-23 and 25-23, respectively, but the Carabins secured the victory with a decisive 15-7 win in the final set. Despite Western's strong performance in the second set, where it achieved a .357 hitting percentage, Montreal's superior blocking, totalling 19.5 team blocks, proved pivotal in the outcome.

MATCH RECAP

The opening set commenced with the Mustangs on the front foot, taking an early lead with a kill from Jayden Talsma assisted by Michael Jones. Western kept the score close with key contributions from Kendall Homenick and Oliver Toomes, who both found the mark with kills supported by Jones. Despite this, Montreal responded with a strong serving performance from Hugo Considere, which included three consecutive service aces, allowing the Carabins to edge ahead.

Western regained momentum through a series of successful plays, narrowing the gap with blocks from Michael Jones and Nicolas Silon, as well as timely kills from Kendall Homenick. The set remained competitive, with the Mustangs tying the score at 14 following a kill from Cade Smith. Western briefly took the lead at 16-15 with a block by Smith, but Montreal quickly answered back, pushing the score to a tie multiple times.

As the set neared its conclusion, Montreal capitalized on a couple of Western attack errors to pull ahead. Despite a late push by Western to close the gap to 22-23, Montreal sealed the set with a kill from Lucas Genier, ending the first period with a 25-22 advantage over the Mustangs.

Western opened the second period with a strong performance, quickly establishing a three-point lead through effective plays by Oliver Toomes and Jayden Talsma, both assisted by Michael Jones. Despite Montreal's attempts to close the gap, Western maintained control with key contributions from Kendall Homenick and Cade Smith, extending its advantage.

Montreal managed to tie the score at 13-13, but Western responded with a decisive series of plays. Jones continued to facilitate the attack, setting up kills for Smith and Nicolas Silon to regain the lead. Western closed the period by securing the final point with another kill from Smith, resulting in a 25-23 win.

Western began the third period with a strong offensive showing, quickly establishing a 4-1 lead. Key contributions came from Oliver Toomes with a kill and Smith executing a crucial block. Despite Montreal's efforts to close the gap, Western maintained its momentum, capitalizing on attack errors by the opposition.

Midway through the period, Western extended its advantage to 11-6, propelled by consistent play from Jones, who assisted on multiple kills. Montreal managed to rally and bring the score closer, but Western responded with timely offensive plays, including a kill by Homenick, to keep the lead at 20-16.

As the period drew to a close, Western faced a late surge from Montreal, which tied the score at 23-23. However, Western secured the final two points, with a service error by Montreal and a block by Homenick and Toomes, closing the period with a 25-23 victory.
 
Western started the fourth period on the back foot, but quickly found momentum with Homenick and Talsma delivering key kills, levelling the score at 3-3. Jones facilitated the offence with several assists, allowing Western to edge ahead 7-6.

Despite Montreal's efforts to reclaim the lead, the Mustangs capitalized on multiple attack errors by the opposition, maintaining a slim advantage. A timely kill by Smith, assisted by Jones, extended Western's lead to 14-11 before Montreal's timeout.

Following the break, Montreal managed a comeback, tying the score at 15-15 with a series of successful attacks. Western fought back with Talsma and Toomes contributing crucial points, yet Montreal closed the period with a 25-21 victory, overcoming Western's late push.

In the fifth period, Western started strong with an early point from a Montreal attack error, but Montreal quickly regained momentum and took a 4-2 lead. Western's Smith responded with a kill assisted by Jones, narrowing the gap to 5-4. However, Montreal capitalized on several blocks and attack errors, extending its lead to 9-5.

After a timeout, Western aimed to regroup, with Smith securing another point. Despite this effort, Montreal maintained its advantage with a series of successful blocks and kills. Western's Jones added a late kill, but Montreal closed out the period with a 15-7 win.

This concludes the 2025-26 season for the Mustangs. Western finishes 15-10 overall with a second consecutive OUA bronze medal and U SPORTS Championship appearance. Thank you to the graduating athletes for their contributions to the program during their career. We also thank the coaches, staff, fans, alumni and all supporters of the team this season.

KEY STATS

Cade Smith 
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- 17 kills 
- 3 total blocks 
- 19.5 points 
 
Michael Jones 
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- 58 assists 
- 13 digs 
- .750 hitting percentage 
 
Kendall Homenick 
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- 14 kills on .545 hitting percentage 
- 5 total blocks 
- 16.5 points 
 
Andrew Kerkhoff 
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- 16 digs