TORONTO —The Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold men's volleyball team opened strong but fell in four sets (25-23, 15-25, 15-25, 15-25) to the University of Toronto Varsity Blues on Friday night.

TMU grabbed the early advantage in the first set, edging the Varsity Blues 25-23 behind a balanced offensive attack and aggressive serving that kept long rallies in their favor. Ross Buchanan powered a five-point sequence that included multiple aces, helping the Bold close out the frame and take a 1-0 lead.

Toronto quickly responded in the second set, hitting an impressive .684 as they limited TMU's attack and evened the match with a 25-15 win. The third set followed a similar pattern, with the Varity Blues maintaining pressure at the net and from the service line. Despite solid contributions from TMU's hitters, Toronto's efficient offence (.438) carried them to another 25-15 set victory.

The Varsity Blues closed out the match in the fourth set, hitting .588. TMU battled to stay within reach but could not overcome the sustained pressure.

Ross Buchanan led TMU with 12 kills, while William Gimbert and Riley Donovan added 11 and 10, respectively. Declan Dunn directed the offence with 33 assists, and Ethan Lau anchored the backcourt with six digs.

The Bold and Varsity Blues will meet again on Saturday, January 17 at the Goldring Centre. First serve is scheduled for 2 p.m. and can be viewed on OUA.tv.