Bell leads Huskies to 3-0 win over Tigers

HALIFAX, NS – The Saint Mary’s Huskies swept the Dalhousie Tigers 3-0 (25-21, 25-13, 26-24) on Friday night at Dalplex in Halifax, NS.

The game started with Huskies left side Olivia Bell, (LaHave Islands, NS) not being able to handle a kill by Kasandra Trenke (Calgary, AB), and they stormed out to an early 3-1 lead in the first set.

The Huskies came back to tie the game immediately, capped off by a Bell kill.

Saint Mary’s and Dalhousie continued to trade points to make it equal at nine, but a block by Trenke, a ball sent past the area of play by the Huskies, and a kill by Amelia Hartnett (Fredericton, NB) made it a three-point lead, and forced a SMU timeout.

The Tigers continued to add to their lead making it 16-13, after Rebecca MacDonnell made an incredible dig off of a thunderous Bell attempted kill.

Saint Mary’s came back into the game, and a cheeky kill by Bell gave the Huskies a 19-18 lead, and that made the Tigers decide to talk it over.

Dalhousie tied the game off with Talia Vydykhan (Hammonds Plains, NS) smashing through the blocks, but mishaps by the Tigers extended SMU’s lead to 21-19.

Two kills by Emilia Mikanovich (Minsk, BEL), and Bell put the pressure on DAL for the first set, but they ultimately were not able to get the ball back over the net, and the Huskies won the first set 25-21.

A formidable block by Melissa Hatfield (Beaverlodge, AB) created an early 3-1 lead for Saint Mary’s, and they continued to rack the points up off of a great kill, and a block by Megan Bruhm made it 8-4.

An ace by Mikanovich, and a kill by Alena Piatukhova (Minsk, BEL) gave the Huskies a double digit lead 18-7, but a kill by Annik Boldon (Fredericton, NB), a bad set, and a net violation brought the lead back to eight points.

A kill by Bruhm brought the Huskies one point away from going up 2-0, and a Tigers’ attacker hit the ball out of play resulting in a 25-13 win for Saint Mary’s. 

Trenke’s massive kill from the left, and a net violation, made it an early 4-1 lead for Dalhousie, but an Mikanovich kill brought the Huskies back within 8-7.

The Tigers swung momentum their way, and an ace by Trenke gave DAL a 15-10 lead, but a block by Bell brought Saint Mary’s back within two.

The Huskies would not go away easily, as Mikanovich’s kill brought SMU back to 21-19, and an attack error brought them back within one.

Out of the timeout Calnan’s kill slowed down Saint Mary’s, but a net violation ultimately ended in a 26-24 win for the Huskies, and they walked away with a 3-0 sweep.

Bell took home player of the game for Saint Mary’s for her 17 kills.

The Huskies win improves their record to 5-3 on the season, while the Tigers drop to 5-4. It was the final match of 2023 for both teams, as they’ll return to the court on Jan. 6, 2024, with the Huskies hosting the UNB REDS at the Homburg Centre, while the Tigers visit the Acadia Axewomen in Wolfville, NS.

RECAP BY: Ethan Hunt / Dalhousie Athletics
PHOTOS BY: Terrel Beals / Dalhousie Athletics