On the 28th and 29th of November, Trent’s varsity volleyball teams played against Toronto Metropolitan University in back-to-back games that resulted in TMU coming out on top, but had Trent dominating in both spirit and tenacity. Armed with industrial grade ear protection, Arthur attended Saturday’s games to watch both the men and women’s teams face off against one of their most formidable opponents.

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As is common practice for doubleheaders, the women’s teams went first. Despite a portion of the stands sitting empty, the noise inside the gymnasium was deafening. As if slamming their feet against the wooden boards wasn’t enough, spectators also brought pots, pans, drums, desk bells, and Excalibur-branded thundersticks. The noise was the first thing remarked on after the game, with many of the athletes attesting that it was one of loudest they’d ever played.

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“As a team we try to feed off of the energy from the crowd,” said Maddie Cavanaugh, a libero on Trent’s women’s team. “So it was a lot of fun to play in that environment. I don't think it psyched us out. I think we were able to stay united and play even though there {were} pots and pans around.”

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Although it would have been easy to be intimidated, the opposition seemed to enjoy the commotion as well. “We haven’t played in a gym where {there were} that many people this year,” explained Marta Cerovic of the TMU women’s team. “It definitely got intense, but in a good way,” she concluded.

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Teammate Elise Pridmore agreed with Cerovic, saying, “I feel like you kind of block it out when you're on the court. It's more noticeable when you're on the bench.”

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Despite being serenaded by thundersticks and the sound of metal crashing down on metal, there was an undeniable rhythm to the women’s game. After a strong start and finish, the women’s team lost to TMU with a nail-biting 3–2 match. According to the athletes, there was a clear MVP on Trent’s side.

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“Player of the game was Isabelle Pellerine,” said Cavanaugh. “She played amazing. She's always working so hard…and pushing all of us to be better, so definitely her. She played great all weekend.” 

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This sentiment was echoed by Trent’s Sydney MacLellan, who said, “{Isabelle} is such an amazing setter and really leads our offense. So great. I love her.”

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After a brief intermission, the men’s teams entered the gymnasium. The noise escalated from shrieking to ear-splitting, with the stands filled to almost maximum capacity and a homemade gong being introduced to the fray.

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If the women’s volleyball game was a dance, the men’s was a martial art. Spikes were directed with barely-contained aggression, and the green-clad crowd enthusiastically encouraged the bloodthirst with shouts, jeers, and bangs of the gong.

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The energy in the room was electric. Between the spectators stamping their feet and the bassline from the rock music that played during timeouts, the stands were literally shaking. A loud chorus of boos started up when a contentious call from the referee favoured TMU, and a yellow card was delivered to TMU midway through the game for unsportsmanlike conduct.

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Like their female counterparts, the men’s volleyball team from TMU seemed to relish the noise. “The environment here was crazy,” said TMU player William Gimbert. “I love the fans being really loud. Honestly, I'm so excited. I wish every game was like that.”

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He wasn’t the only one who appreciated the noise. “I'm loving the energy,” said Kayla Petrie of Trent’s Pom Squad. “We're obviously going to keep it up and keep on doing what we're doing and cheering on Excalibur’s volleyball men and women.” 

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When asked about the difference between the Pom Squad and cheerleaders, Petrie explained, “We are basically dancers with pom poms. We're not allowed to do any stunts.”

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The roaring energy was cut short when TMU emerged victorious 3–0. It was a tough loss for Trent after their defeat the previous day. When asked about how he felt about the game he had just played, Trent’s Baxter Sholberg answered: “Not amazing.”

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He seemed to be among the minority, however. Many fans in the crowd and even some of the TMU athletes could be heard remarking on what a strong game it was, and how well the Trent men’s team played. It was neck-and-neck throughout all three sets, with TMU just barely coming out on top with two points every set.

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Accustomed to being the underdog, especially when playing against larger and better funded universities such as TMU, Excalibur had a chance to play on a more even playing field as the TMU men’s team has taken on a large number of new players this season and seems to still be finding their footing on the court.

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“Obviously we want to win every game,” Gimbert said about the TMU team’s long-term goals. “But that's going to come from the process of going to practice every day, getting in the weight room, just getting better every day.” When approached with the same question, Sholberg had a more concise answer: “Get better at volleyball.”

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Despite the hard losses, Trent fulfilled its reputation for school spirit and then some. Friends, family, and fellow students showed up to fill the gymnasium, and players from other disciplines such as rowing and lacrosse made an appearance to cheer on their fellow athletes. Both the men and women’s teams went out and gave it their all, and those attending Saturday’s games weren’t shy in expressing how much pride they have in their players.

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Excalibur is hosting the University of Toronto on January 9th, 2026 for their next volleyball match against the men and women’s teams.

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