Memorial Defeats UNB for First Win of the Season

The Memorial Sea-Hawks women’s volleyball team defeated the University of New Brunswick REDS at Dalplex on Friday evening in the first game of the AUS League Tournament at Dalhousie for both teams. This was the first victory of the season for Memorial, moving them off the bottom of the standings.

The game began with UNB and Memorial trading point back and forth until Memorial used two separate three-point runs to take a 10-5 lead and put UNB on the back foot. The Sea-Hawks’ first set was highlighted by very strong play at the net on defence as their front line got hands on almost all of UNB’s hits.

A technical timeout with the score 16-12 for Memorial and a timeout from UNB just after at 18-12 tried to stop Memorial’s momentum but to no avail. The Sea-Hawks rode a streak of eight straight points to build a lead and eventually win the set 25-15.

Even though the REDS couldn’t find their rhythm in the opening set, Isla Olesen (Calgary, AB) had three kills to try and keep UNB in the set. On the other side, Sophie O’Rourke (Prince George, BC), Melissa Hatfield (Beaverlodge, AB) and Cecile Dumaresque (St. John’s, NL) all had two kills as Memorial shared the attack.

In the second set, UNB rode a string of Memorial errors to win four straight points and force a timeout from the Sea-Hawks with the score 8-4 in UNB’s favour. After the timeout, Emma Burns (Fredericton, NB) and Olesen each hit a kill to maintain the REDS advantage, but Memorial kept battling and got the set to 11-11.

From there, Memorial was able to build a slight lead and caused UNB to call a timeout with the score 22-18 for the Sea-Hawks. Memorial finished off the set thanks to a block from Janeen Pellatt (Yorkton, SK) and Margaret Henley (St. John’s, NL) and won the second set 25-20.

Kristen Burns (Mississauga, ON) was a bright spot for UNB in the second set, finishing with four kills in the set. On Memorial’s side it was again their defence that allowed them to win the set, highlighted by two blocks from Dumaresque.

The REDS showed relentless energy in the third set to stay in the game but Memorial were able to battle through and close out the game. Neither side gained full control of the final set until Memorial got a 15-11 lead, after which UNB called a timeout. Memorial hung on and finished the set 25-20 for the Sea-Hawks, who won the game in straight sets.

Memorial’s Margaret Henley had five aces to lead the Sea-Hawks, while Kristen Burns had 10 kills and 14 digs for the UNB Reds.

Both teams play tomorrow at Dalplex. Memorial’s second game of the AUS League Tournament at Dalhousie is at 3pm when they face the Acadia Athletics. Meanwhile, UNB plays Moncton at 5pm in their second tournament game.