REDS Down Tigers in Four Sets to Advance to AUS Championship Series

(FREDERICTON, NB) The UNB REDS punched their ticket to the Atlantic University Sport women's volleyball final with a 3-1 win over the Dalhousie Tigers, Saturday night at UNB's Richard J. Currie Center. 

With the victory the REDS win the semi-final series two games to one. 

The opening set was a true back-and-forth affair, with no team ever leading by more than two points. In the end, it was the Tigers who won the set, 29-27, as Annik Boldin and Ella Hornby had three kills each for Dal. 

Two early Dal timeouts couldn't stop the REDS from finding their groove in the second. UNB's Sonya Neilson served nine straight points on the way to a 25-11 REDS win. 

"We knew that we had to … focus on one point at a time and not the game as a whole," said REDS' hitter Heather Benko on her team's focus in the huddle after dropping the first set. 

In the third, the REDS again jumped out to a big lead behind three straight kills from Benko, who finished with a game-high 16 kills. 

A near-capacity Currie Center crowd made things tough for Dal all night long. 

The Tigers roared back in the fourth set, keeping it close until the end. 

Isla Olesen had two of her 14 kills at a crucial moment in the set when Dal was just four points back. 

She was named Boston Pizza Player of the Game. 

"Dal is an amazing playoff team, and they always are," she said. "But we knew after that first one that we still had more to give, so we came in and got together and said that we need to play free in our gym and that's what we did." 

The REDS took the fourth set 25-21, keeping their season alive. 

"No one on this team has ever won a semi-final series, so I think we're all just living in the joy of it right now," said Olesen. 

REDS' libero Jenna Adams finished the game with 30 digs, powering UNB's defense the whole game. Talia Nixon had 43 assists. 

UNB will face Saint Mary's in the AUS final. 

The REDS will host game one of the best of three championship series, but the date and time is to be determined. 

RECAP BY: Peter Jewett/UNB Athletics 

PHOTOS BY: James West/for UNB REDS