OSHAWA, Ont. - The Durham Lords fell to Niagara in straight sets in a tough OCAA championship qualifier at home.

Despite strong efforts from key players, the Lords struggled to find consistency and were defeated 25-19, 25-20, and 25-23.

Durham's defence recorded 28 digs, led by Kyle Travis and Petrus Kuypers, but Niagara's efficient offence—hitting .296 as a team—proved difficult to counter. Niagara capitalized on key moments, especially in the second set, where they hit .441 and kept the Lords off balance with aggressive attacks and strong net play.

The Lords showed resilience in the third set, pushing Niagara to the brink before falling 25-23. Despite hitting .630 in that frame with 17 kills and no errors, Durham was unable to close out critical points to force a fourth set.

Kuypers led Durham with 13 kills on 26 attempts, hitting an efficient .462 while also contributing six digs and three service aces.

Setter Kyle Travis facilitated the attack with 26 assists and added eight digs. Will Doucet provided support with five kills on 11 attempts and a block, while Trent Engel added four kills on nine swings, hitting .444. 

Tyler Jegen contributed seven kills and four digs.

With this loss, the 2024-25 season has come to an end for the Lords.

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