(FREDERICTON, NB) The Université de Montreal Carabins beat the UNB REDS 3-1 Friday night in the first match of an RSEQ weekend series at UNB's Richard J. Currie Center.

Montreal won with scores of 25-14, 25-23, 23-25 and 25-15.

Alexis Tournier (Gatineau, QC) led the Carabins with 17 kills and four digs while Guillaume Bisson (Royun-Noranda, QC) followed with 14 kills and six digs.

Eduardo Luchese (Rio Grande du Sul, Brazil) had 15 kills and five digs for the REDS and Nick Glynn (Fredericton, NB) had seven kills and five digs.

"I don't think we played our best game possible," said Glynn. "I think there was a little bit of jitters because it's our first home game and we have a lot of first year guys that haven't played here [Currie Centre] yet."

The match was UNB's first home game since the 2019-20 season, and was played to 518 fully-vaccinated fans.

The REDS started strong, grabbing an early 5-2 lead in the first set. Montreal would turn the tide swiftly, forcing a 7-7 tie and gaining a 16-9 lead at the technical time-out.

From there, the Carabins would take five of the next six points for a double-digit, 21-10 lead that the REDS could not overcome as they dropped the first set 25-14

The two teams would wrestle for points back and forth to start the second set. Finding themselves tied at 8-8 and 11-11.

The REDS would again gain the first noteworthy advantage in the second, leading by as many as three points and finding themselves up 20-18 to start the final stretch of the set.

However, the Carabins would put up a resilient effort and would battle back to steal the set 25-23.

"We broke down offensively, couldn't find the court and weren't making our swings," said Glynn.

Montreal would jump ahead early in the third set, 8-5, before UNB would fight back to tie it 9-9 and follow that by taking seven of the next nine points to lead the Carabins 16-11 at the technical time-out.

Montreal would surge once again in the back half and would reverse roles with the REDS as they took a 20-18 lead.

UNB would follow by flipping the script themselves to stay with the Carabins and gain the edge to win the third set 25-23 to cut Montreal's lead to 2-1.

The REDS were unable to contain the Carabins in the fourth, dropping the final set 25-15.

The Carabins are now 1-and-1 to start their 2021-22 campaign, while the REDS drop to 1-and-2.

The two teams will meet again on Saturday. Game time is 2:00pm.

RECAP BY: Jonathon James/for UNB Athletics

PHOTOS BY: James West/for UNB Athletics