AUS Playoff Preview: Can anyone knock off Dalhousie?

Acadia the No. 1 seed going into the 2023-24 post-season

The 2023-24 AUS women's volleyball post-season gets underway Thursday night and the Acadia Axewomen, Saint Mary's Huskies and UNB Reds are all trying to do the one thing no one has been able to for the past 10 years – end the Dalhousie Tigers' amazing decade-long run as AUS champs.

This might be the year to do it, as Dalhousie's third-place finish in the AUS standings this year is their first dip out of the top 2 spots since they finished third in the 2010-11 season. That said, knowing how to get the job done at this time of the year is crucial and no one knows better than the Tigers.

The top-ranked Acadia Axewomen will host the No. 4 seed UNB Reds in Game 1 of their best-of-three series, while second-ranked Saint Mary's will welcome crosstown rivals No. 3 Dalhousie in the other.

Acadia's 15-5 mark during the regular season helped them to finish atop the standings for the first time in head coach Michelle Wood's 12-year run on the bench. Will it result in the program's first ever AUS title?

The Axewomen finished first in just about every team statistic, including kills, kills per set, points, total blocks, blocks per set.

Acadia puts forth a very deep roster, led by second-year middle Alexia Lemay-Evans, who recorded a team-best 199 kills, 23 service aces and 240.5. On defense, she is joined by fellow middles Erica Fisher and Wesley-Ann Bailey to form a very formidable presence at the net – combining for 167 total blocks.

That said, they'll need to put together two good games to get past a young and hungry Reds team who are searching for the school's first AUS title since the 2010-11 season. Led by second-years Heather Benko and Jenna Adams, along with standout rookie Talia Nixon, the Reds are not to be taken lightly.

Benko won the league's Rookie of the Year Award last season and showed no signs of a sophomore slump in her second go around. She finished second in the league in points (271.5), while putting defenders on their heels with her league-leading 55 service aces. Adams recorded 428 digs to lead the AUS and all of U SPORTS.

In their four games against each other this season, the Axewomen went 4-0.

Acadia will host Game 1 on Thursday night at 7pm. Game 2 will be played Saturday night back in Fredericton at 7pm. If a Game 3 is needed, the Axewomen will host it on Monday, Feb. 26 at 7pm.

Saint Mary's wrapped the season in the No. 2 spot after going 14-6, and are arguably the most offensively explosive team in the post-season.

Three of their players finished in the top six in points, led by Olivia Bell.

The fifth-year product of LaHave Islands, N.S., topped all AUS players in kills (238), kills per set (3.13) and points (282.5). Teammates Megan Bruhm (240) and Emilia Mikanovich (220) placed third and sixth in points, respectively.

Of the six losses Saint Mary's accrued on the season, it was the Dalhousie Tigers who handed the Huskies three of those.

While the Tigers finished third in the league standings at 12-8, it does need to be stated that they have won the last 10 consecutive AUS titles. So until they are knocked off the thrown, they should be considered a threat to win it all.

They are led by last year's MVP, Lucy Glen-Carter, who played the first regular season game this year before missing the next eight.

She returned to the lineup in January and has been rounding into form ever since.

Second-year outside Talia Vydykhan has stepped up this season, finishing fifth in the league in points (226) and kills (194).

Game 1 of their series goes Thursday night at 7pm at the Homburg Centre. Game 2 will be played at the Dalplex Saturday afternoon at 2pm. If a Game 3 is needed, Saint Mary's will host it on Monday, Feb. 26 at 7pm.

Check out atlanticuniversitysport.com for schedule and results.