Canada suffered their first loss at the world men’s volleyball championship on Wednesday as they were defeated 3-0 by Turkey. Turkey, with a 3-0 record, outperformed Canada, who had a 2-1 standing in Pool G.
Head coach Dan Lewis expressed disappointment, stating, “We missed a significant opportunity today. Turkey displayed strong attacking skills in challenging situations and had a superior defensive game.” Turkey dominated in attacks with a score of 43-28 and committed fewer unforced errors (19 vs. Canada’s 24). Both teams were even in blocking points at seven, but Canada secured eight aces compared to Turkey’s three.
Despite the loss, Canadian players Sharone Vernon-Evans, Fynn McCarthy, and Nicholas Hoag stood out with eight points each, contributing with a combination of aces and kill blocks. Lewis acknowledged the team’s shortcomings in ball retrieval and overall attack efficiency during the match.
Looking ahead, Canada, currently in the Round of 16, will face top-ranked Poland (3-0) in their next game on Saturday, with the losing team risking elimination.