The Algonquin volleyball teams got a look at some of the top-ranked teams in the OCAA during an exhibition tournament held Sept. 23 to 25 in Hull.

Although the event meant nothing in terms of standings and there were no statistics filed, it was a good chance for the teams to develop team chemistry. “We came into this tournament to develop team bonding,” said men’s setter Dave Keo. “Everyone got along really well.”

Although the matches were meaningless in terms of standings, the team maintained its composure throughout the weekend. “There were times to laugh, but when we were playing, we were pretty serious,” said Keo.

Whether it was a rookie or veteran, coach Max Larivee saw that no one was intimidated. “After the first set, everyone adjusted,” said Larivee. “The veterans were on par and the rookies got better as the weekend went on.”

Larrivee has not picked who will be captain of the team this year and said this weekend was not used to determine the spot. “This is as much their team as it is my team. They will have just as much say in who the captain and co-captains are as I will.”

The men’s team finished the tournament with a sub-500 record, but did have close matches against Limoilou and Sherbrooke, two of the top ranked teams. The women’s team had almost twice as many wins as losses and finished the tournament with a 13-7 record in sets. Games were spread amongst one large gym and two smaller ones.

Of the five games the team played, four went very well, according to coach Everton Senior. “There were a lot of good rallies,” said Senior. “We also had good defense and good hitters.” Right side Sarah Hazelwood, who had one of the highest number of aces in the OCAA last year, continued her dominance over the weekend.

After winning the first two matches, the Thunder went into its second match of the day on Saturday with confidence, which proved to be deadly. “The girls were 7-1 at the tournament at that point and I think they overestimated the team,” said Senior. Both teams will officially begin the season when they host Fleming and Trent on Oct. 14 and 15 respectively.