The Hawks defeated the Cambrian Golden Shields in a 3-1 set game on Sunday, moving them up to second in the Western Division standings.
Their victory confirmed a spot to host the qualifying playoff match against Durham on Feb. 14.
Coming into this matchup, Cambrian had secured first place with a record of 13-2 in the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) West standings.
Golden Shields head coach Dale Beausoleil said before the game that the focus on this matchup is execution against Humber.
“They're a really strong team,” he said. “We're going to have to serve and pass and try and contain their big hitters.”
Humber were looking to finish the season with a victory at home and also obtain the second seed.
A win for the Hawks would equal the same record as Fanshawe, but because Humber won the season series sweep, they would be above them due to the tiebreaker rule.
Hawks head coach Wayne Wilkins said his team need to feel composed for this matchup.
“We need to get out there and feel confident and feel good about how we play,” he said before the match. “It's preparation for the playoffs, so the win is the win.”
It was also senior day for the Hawks, with three players being honoured for their achievements.
Wilkins said he was proud of his seniors' impact on the program.
“I've got special love for all three of these guys,” he said. “They've contributed in huge ways to our program.
“We wish them all the best, but they all know that this is their home and they're welcome back anytime.”
The first set saw Humber take the lead against Cambrian and keep the deficit to three points or more, before a time-out was called by the opposition at 18-13.
The Golden Shields would slowly close the gap, but the Hawks managed to seal the set win after first-year outside hitter Enzo Endres secured the kill.
In the second, both teams kept the game close, going back and forth, with temporary leads.
Cambrian would call a timeout with the lead in favour of them, 23-22.
The Golden Shields offence locked in and served two strong kills that would secure them the win, with both teams now at one a piece.
The third set saw the same story as it was in the early stages, but Humber took advantage, scoring five unanswered points and leading 10-7.
Cambrian couldn’t take the lead as the Hawks' momentum continued to help, and it paid off after having a five-point gap.
The Golden Shields would allow a service error, which would give Humber the set win with the score 2-1 to the host.
Heading into the fourth, the matchup was a show to watch as both teams kept it close the whole half and had two-point leads that would end quickly.
The Hawks would increase the deficit to a five-point gap and had the position to win the set.
However, the Golden Shields brought the game back 21-21, making the Hawks lose a strong lead.
Both teams reached 25-25, hoping for one of them to allow two points in a sudden-death moment.
Cambrian served an out-of-bounds ball that gave Humber an advantage in their next serve.
A big spike from Endres would give the Hawks the victory in the set and clinch the match 3-1 as the crowd went wild following the intense set.
The Brazilian native recorded a career-high of 27 kills, the most ever for the Hawks this season and the last time a player recorded the same amount or more was Clayton Blanchette against Sheridan on Nov. 17, 2016.
Wilkins said the team's depth helped secure the win, as key players are injured.
“We were down three starters, and the guys that came in off the bench did their job,” he said.
Fifth-year outside hitter Kyle Gray-Phillips said the win was a huge momentum boost heading into the postseason.
“It's good to end my last regular season game on a win, and going into [the] playoffs is also a huge momentum boost,” he said.
Gray-Phillips said tying the provincial record for most OCAA championships in a row would be a great send-off for his final season.
“It would be nice to tie the provincial record for gold medals in a row,” he said.
