Saint Mary's defeats Memorial to earn first AUS women's volleyball title since 2012

(HALIFAX, N.S.) For the first time since the 2011-12 season, the Saint Mary's Huskies are the AUS women's volleyball champions.

They defeated the Memorial Sea-Hawks in straight sets (25-21, 25-16, 25-11) in game two of the Bell AUS Women's Volleyball Championship final on Sunday night at the Homburg Centre in Halifax.

In a year that Saint Mary's Athletics is celebrating 50 years of Women in Sport, two Huskies women's teams won AUS Championships on the same day, with the volleyball team joining the women's basketball team that won their third straight title earlier in the day at the Scotiabank Centre.

Huskies left side Emilia Mikanovich was named Playoff Most Valuable Player, adding to 2024-25 AUS regular season Most Valuable Player honour.

"The whole season we were trying to get back to the finals, we were ready for this," said Mikanovich post-match. "This team is my family and I'm so proud of all of them."

It was the Sea-Hawks who got off to a good start, as outstanding play from left side Lydia Grawer helped them open up a 10-7 lead in the first set. But the Huskies battled back, with a service run from Emilia Mikanovich and several kills from middles Anna Liniewski and Alena Piatukhova putting them ahead 12-11. Saint Mary's didn't look back, with Mikanovich scoring set point to give the Huskies a 25-21 first set win.

The second set started in similar fashion, with the Sea-Hawks taking an early 5-8 lead, before Huskies middle Alena Piatuhkova went on an eight point service run to put the team ahead 12-5. Setter Grace Blaskovits - the 2025 AUS Rookie of the Year - was dishing out perfect sets to Huskies attackers and the team clicked into another gear, opening up a 19-7 lead.

During the second set, there was a loud ovation that rang out among the over 600 fans in attendance at the Homburg Centre, as members of the women's basketball team came into the gym, swinging the momentum in the Huskies direction for once and for all, as the Huskies closed the second set 25-16.

In the third set, another Piatukhova service run opened up a 7-3 lead. The Huskies also received tremendous play from middle Madison Hann and outside hitter Breanna Golding. A Sydney Fader kill gave the Huskies a 23-11 advantage, before Syree Tucker served up a couple points, with match point being clinched on a huge block from Liniewski and Mikanovich, and the Huskies took the set 25-11, sweeping the match and the AUS Finals series.

Middle Alena Piatukhova was named Player of the Game for the Huskies, scoring nine points on five kills, four blocks, two service aces and two assists. 

"We had no doubt that we were going to win tonight and we did it," said Piatukhova post-game. "I haven't been home in a couple years, and this country, this city, this team became my family, my friends are here to support us and thank you to all the fans for coming to support us, without them we couldn't have done this."

The Sea-Hawks were led in defeat by outside hitter Lydia Grawer, who scored 14 points on 13 kills and was named Player of the Match for Memorial. 

Both the Huskies and Sea-Hawks will move on to represent the AUS at the 2025 U SPORTS National Championship, and will be making their second straight appearance at Nationals which will be held March 14-16 in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Recap by Allan April / Saint Mary's Huskies Athletics