Moncton advances to Subway AUS women's volleyball semifinal with 3-1 victory over Memorial

(FREDERICTON, N.B.) – The fifth-ranked Aigles Bleues dispatched the fourth-ranked Sea-Hawks 3-1 to move on to the semi-final round of the Subway AUS women's volleyball championship Saturday at 4:30 p.m. against top-ranked Saint Mary's Huskies.

The Sea-Hawks looked good in the first set, winning 25-21. But les Aigles Bleues turned up the intensity and took the next three sets in convincing fashion (25-19, 25-23, 25-17).

The turning point in the match was a 7-3 run by Moncton to open the second set in which Rachelle Lemoine (Winnipeg, Man.), the eventual Subway player of the game for Moncton, made an outstanding play, volleying the ball from her back leading to a Moncton kill.

The Sea-Hawks would try to rally at the end of the set but the deficit would prove too large. Les Aigles Bleues would not look back, winning the last three sets by an average of six points.

"I think it was a team thing," said Moncton head coach Monette Boudreau-Carroll on the win. "It took [Memorial] a long time to adjust to what we were doing. Those games happen, and you just take the win and run."

Subway player of the game for les Aigles Bleues was Rachelle Lemoine with 15 kills, one assist and eight digs. Veronique Carroll (AUS second team all-star from Moncton, N.B.) who is in her last year of eligibility also had a good game, posting a line of five kills, 36 assists and 12 digs.

Boudreau-Carroll said on coaching her daughter (Veronique) at the AUS championship, "We have a running joke, around Christmas time she says 'bye Mom, I'll see you in March.' She's an athlete like everyone else. She plays hard and I treat her the same."

Subway player of the game for Memorial was Jill Snow (first team all-star from Bishop's Falls, N.L.). She was all over the court and posted 13 kills, two aces, 18 digs and three blocks. Lauren Miller (Oromocto, N.B.) and Krista Hogan (Kippens, N.L.) had great games as well with lines of 13 kills, two aces 11 digs and 12 kills, and one ace and 11 digs respectively.

The Sea-Hawks are now eliminated from the tournament.

Les Aigles Bleues will look to continue their upset streak as they face the No. 1 seed in the tournament (the Saint Mary's Huskies) in the first semi-final matchup Saturday at 4:30 p.m.

"We are very young team," said Boudreau-Carroll. "If we win it's great, but if we don't, all the games we can play against great teams in pressure situations will be a learning experience. These kids are hungry and they want to work. That's what it's going to be, let's go out there let's have fun, let's learn, get better and move on."


Source: Rob Trites for UNB Sports Communications