Canada repels Netherlands for solo 4th

MANILA, Philippines -- Canada is leaving the Manila leg of the men’s Volleyball Nations League undefeated after holding on against the Netherlands in five sets, 21-25, 25-22, 28-26, 14-25, 15-9 Saturday at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

The Canadians survived a 37 point explosion of the Netherlands’ Nimir Abdel-Aziz as Stephen Maar paced the winning team with 18.

After a backbreaking 14-25 loss in the fourth frame, the two teams were tied at seven apiece in the final set after a block attack of Nimir on Eric Loeppky.

Canada scored three straight points capped by a Maar kill to go up by three, 10-7.

A Nimir kill off the block by Fynnian McCarthy halted the run, but Xander Ketrzynski and Lucas Van Berkel scored back-to-back points before McCarthy’s service ace put the Canadians firmly on the driver’s seat, 13-8.

Maarten Van Garderen punched in a kill as he tried to tow the Dutch back, but a service error by Nmir and a block point by Szwarc ended the match, 15-9.

Loeppky added 14 markers for Canada. Ketrzynski and Van Berkel chipped in nine each.

Van Garderen provided 17 for the Netherlands.

The Dutch lost all their games in the Manila leg as they dropped to 3-9. Canada rose to solo fourth with an 8-4 slate.