Jefferson Hagen, MacEwan Athletics

CALGARY – Instead of riding off into the sunset with a pair of wins over Mount Royal University on the opening weekend of Canada West men's volleyball action, the wheels fell off the train in the MacEwan Griffins' bid to sweep the Cougars.

MacEwan was competitive for half a set on Saturday night before getting steamrolled 3-0 (25-15, 25-12, 25-18).

"We weren't very good," admitted head coach Brad Poplawski. "Honestly, it was just kind of everything. It was close in the first until about 10-9 and then our passing broke down. We just couldn't get the ball to the net.

"Then we lost our setting, our offence and then lost our serve. It was just kind of a complete implosion, unfortunately, on both sides of the ball."

Max Vriend led the Griffins with 11 kills in defeat, but the team combined for a .070 hitting efficiency and came up short in being able to follow up on Friday's thrilling 3-2 win over the Cougars.

"Yesterday we were able to respond, so I know they can deal with (adversity)," said Poplawski. "I think the whole coaching staff is shaking our heads trying to figure out what went on and why it went like that. The players were as well. Nothing we did seemed to work."

MRU's float service game gave MacEwan trouble as the Cougars piled up 10 service aces in the match, including six in the third set. Luis Lange finished with four of MRU's aces.

"They made some adjustments and credit (Shawn) Sky and his players," said Poplawski. "They changed some things and we thought they might. They took away a few of our options, they changed the blocking assignments and went with a serving strategy that was quite effective.

"We just weren't able to respond to it. They definitely won that part of the chess match in the adjustments from one night to the other."

The Griffins have a bye next weekend before hitting the road to Langley, B.C. for matches against Trinity Western on Nov. 1-2.