(FREDERICTON, NB) The UNB REDS powered through to a 3-1 victory over the Acadia Axewomen in Atlantic University Sport women’s volleyball on Saturday, at UNB’s Richard J. Currie Center.
For the REDS, it was their second win of the weekend.
The REDS won 24-26, 25-20, 25-19, and 25-18.
“It feels really good,” said REDS’ hitter Talia Nixon (Fredericton, NB). “Really high energy from the team, really high energy from the crowd. Really good to win two at home. I think it was really important for us, to know that we could do it and I think we’re all just really proud of how we played today.”
In the opening set, Heather Benko (Sechelt, BC) set the tone with two consecutive kills, giving the REDS an early 2-0 lead.
The Axewomen responded, keeping it close at 3-2 score before Benko struck again, pushing the REDS lead to 5-4.
Later, Lydia Green (Bedford, NS) delivered a 3-0 run, extending the REDS’ lead to 23-15.
Acadia mounted a comeback though, with Katie MacLean (Humboldt, SK) serving nine straight points to tie it 24-24, before ultimately clinching the set 26-24 in a thrilling finish.
Green kicked off the second set with strong serves, putting the REDS ahead 2-0.
A Benko kill pushed UNB ahead 9-7 before Isla Olesen (Calgary, AB) added a 3-0 run, widening the gap to 17-14.
Despite a late push by Acadia to close it to 23-20, the REDS held firm to win the set 25-20.
The third set started neck and neck, with the REDS and Axewomen trading points to 4-4.
Nixon sparked a 3-0 run, pushing UNB to a 7-4 lead.
Danielle Krzywonos (Valley, NS) then widened the gap to 13-7 and the REDS won the set 25-19 taking a two-sets-to-one lead.
Similar to the first and second sets, the REDS opened the fourth set with a strong 2-0 run led by Green, but Acadia quickly leveled the score 3-3.
With Nixon serving, the REDS went ahead 9-5 and UNB maintained their lead, despite a late Acadia push, closing out the set 25-18 for the 3-1 victory.
“I think we just came in and, you really want it,” said Nixon. “That was something that we worked on really, really hard this past week and we really, really wanted to do it, be able to do it and I think we just needed to prove it to ourselves and we did that. We are able to compete, we’re able to do that and we’re able to that our own way instead of trying to do it how our competitors are doing it.”
Jenna Lake (Conception Bay South, NL) had 17 kills and 14 digs to lead the Axewomen.
MacLean recorded 40 assists for Acadia while Nixon contributed 42 assists for the REDS.
Benko finished with 16 kills, and Jenna Adams (Truro, NS) added 17 digs for UNB.
The REDS, now 2-and-4, are set to travel to Moncton on Friday, where they’ll face UdeM in a 7:00pm start. At the same time, the Axewomen, now 3-and-3, take on Dalhousie.
RECAP BY: Annabelle Jewett/for UNB Athletics
PHOTOS BY: James West/for UNB Athletics