Lethbridge Kodiaks Sports Info
The University of Alberta – Augustana Vikings held off the tenacious Keyano College Huskies to secure a 3-1 win in the first match of second-day action Friday at the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) Women's Volleyball Championships at Lethbridge College.
The Vikings, who finished the regular season second in the north with a 16-3 record, relied on great defence and grit to get the win.
"In a match where we struggled to really click on the offensive side of the game, the team worked extremely hard to serve tough and dig a ton of balls," says Vikings head coach Steve Enright, who was named the ACAC North Coach of the Year earlier this week.
In the first set, the Huskies scored first and kept the score close at the start. The momentum started to swing when the Vikings took a 14-11 lead, but the Huskies fought back, scoring three points. The Vikings took the score to 18-14 when the Huskies called a timeout. When the Huskies returned to the court, they picked up three in a row, leading the Vikings to call a timeout. A huge and hard-fought point brought the score to 20-18 for the Vikings, who went on to win the set 25-20.
The second set was a story of big swings, with the Huskies starting off with a 5-1 lead, before the Vikings battled back to tie at six. The Huskies went on another run, taking the score to 12-7 with strong serving and smart plays, which were answered by huge hits from the Vikings that tied the score at 13. The teams stayed close for the rest of the match – at one point exchanging four service errors. The Vikings led at 23-22 when the Huskies called a timeout. The Keyano team came back in to tie and then win the set 25-23.
The third set started with the Huskies up 4-2, but an ace by Viking Shae Boyes (fifth year, Rimbey, Alta., Bachelor of Arts – Physical Education), the ACAC Women's Volleyball Player of the Year, marked a shift in momentum. The teams tied at five and again at nine, but after that, the Vikings never lost the lead. The Huskies continued to press the Vikings through the rest of the set, bringing the score within one point several times – and then tying it at 19. The Vikings went up 21-19 and went on to win the set 25-21.
The Huskies dominated for much of the fourth set, taking an early 3-1 lead and, after being tied at seven and eight, going up 13-9 and 20-16. But the Vikings battled back, tying the score at 20, and then going up 22-20. The last few points of the match were full of hustle and heart and the teams tied at 22, 23, 24 and 25 before the Vikings went on to win the final set 27-25, earning a 3-1 win over their northern rivals and a spot in fifth place match tomorrow.
Left side hitter Emily Peterson (fourth year, Calgary, Bachelor of Arts – Sports Studies) was named player of the game for the Vikings, while libero Raisa Stokes (fifth year, Fort McMurray, Elementary Education) was named player of the game for the Huskies.
Players of the Game|
Huskies|#13 Raisa Stokes
Vikings|#10 Emily Peterson