Tigers defeat Axewomen in five sets to force Game 3 of Subway AUS Women's Volleyball Championship finals

(HALIFAX, N.S.) The Dalhousie women's volleyball team beat Acadia in five sets Friday night, to even the series and force Game 3 in the Subway AUS Women's Volleyball Championship finals.  

AUS MVP Lucy Glen-Carter (Toronto, Ont.) got the evening underway with a spike that found nothing but hardwood as the Tigers took an early lead in the first set. 

Acadia was able to wrestle the lead away from Dal very quickly behind strong attacking from Eve Collombin (Victoria, B.C.). The second-year hitter used the Tigers block against them to find points for her team. 

Neither team could build much of a lead though, as they both fought to steal points wherever they could. In the end, it was Glen-Carter who was able to finish the set off for the Tigers with a massive kill. 

Dalhousie dominated early in the second set. Their defense both at the net and in the backline seemed to snuff out every promising Acadia attack. It wasn't until Sydney Zakutney (Ottawa, Ont.) came up with a momentum shifting kill that the Axewomen began to claw their way back into the set. 

The rest of the set was a nailbiter and included a handful of rallies that felt like they could go on forever. Tigers libero Alessandra Nadalini (Bedford, N.S.) was particularly outstanding. She piled up the digs to extend possessions for her squad.

Taylor Witty (Dartmouth, N.S.) showed why she's one of the AUS premier players during the second set. After a defensive masterclass in last night's performance, she showed that she also can swing with the best of them. Witty had 8 kills by the end of the second set as Acadia won 25-22. 

The third set was emblematic of the entire finals series to this point. Neither team could separate themself from the other. Wesley-Ann Bailey (Ottawa, Ont.) provided an offensive spark for the Axewomen as her and Charlotte Dean connected on some tricky quick sets in the middle. 

Brett Boldon (Fredericton, N.B.) orchestrated the Tigers offense beautifully in typical fashion. Not only did she set her teammates up for kills, but she even recorded an ace and a kill of her own in the set. After a long rally in the final points of the set gave the tigers a 26-25 lead, Annik Boldon (Fredericton, N.B.) gave the Tigers the win with a strong kill. 

The fourth set served as an Acadia statement. They did not want to play a third game in the series and they fought to even the score and force a fifth and final set. Zakutney, Witty, and Bailey kept up their stellar play and weathered every storm Dalhousie threw their way. 

Glen-Carter opened the scoring in the final set as she looked hungry to force a third game and potentially claim her first AUS championship. She continued her season for the history books by dominating the fifth set from start to finish. 

Talia Vydykhan (Hammonds Plains, N.S.) added some impressive kills of her own including the game clinching point as Dalhousie won the fifth set to force a third and final game tomorrow night. 

Ella Hornyby and Taylor Witty were named Subway player of the game for their respective teams. 

The Tigers and Axewomen will square off tomorrow night at 7 p.m. at the Dalplex to decide the 2023 AUS champion. 

Source: Joe Thomson for Dalhousie Athletics