Canada survived a scare against Libya, winning 22-25, 25-20, 25-12, 29-27 in Pool G of the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, Saturday.
Sharone Vernon-Evans made a triumphant return to the national team, helping the North Americans avoid a potential upset and start their campaign on the right foot.
Libya, making their first World Championship appearance in 43 years, took the first set but could not sustain their momentum. The team left Canada to claim all three points while the North African side remained scoreless in the opener.
Vernon-Evans, playing his first match with Canada since the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, made his presence felt immediately.
The 27-year-old opposite, who had shifted to beach volleyball and competed in two Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour events in 2023, finished as Canada’s top scorer with 22 points — 16 kills, three blocks, and three aces.
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Canadian captain Nicholas Hoag, returning after skipping the 2025 Volleyball Nations League, added 20 points on 15 kills, four aces, and one block. Meanwhile, middle blockers Fynn McCarthy and Daenan Gyimah chipped in 12 and 11 points, respectively.
“I think everybody was a little bit nervous in the first set,” Hoag said. “Libya play very aggressively, and if they can pass well, they’re very difficult to stop.
“I’m glad we got the win, but we’ll need to play better if we want to beat Japan in our next match. They’re a great team, and we can’t give them anything. We’ll need to be very disciplined with our blocking, too.”
Canada’s serving proved decisive, producing 15 aces to Libya’s three. The North Americans also edged their opponents in kills (51-49) and blocks (12-9), though both teams committed 23 points in errors.
For Libya, the Ikhbayri brothers carried the offense.
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Opposite Ahmed tallied 15 kills, one block, and one ace, while outside hitter Mohamedposted 16 kills and one ace, finishing with 17 points apiece.
“We are super happy,” Ahmed said. “The result may not have been what we wanted, but we are happy with how we played. We are returning to the World Championship after over 40 years, so this is a good result, even if we didn’t win.
“The next match will be tough too, just like this one. We’ll try to keep the same mindset and fight for every point. We want to make our fans at home proud, and we know we have much more to show here,” he added.
