(FREDERICTON, NB) The UNB REDS scored a 3-0 win over the Memorial Sea-Hawks in the 2023-24 Atlantic University Sport women’s volleyball season opener for both teams, Friday night at UNB’s Richard. J. Currie Center.
Heather Benko (Sechelt, BC) led the REDS with 12 kills and nine digs.
Sarah Trowbridge (Sunnyside, NL) led Memorial with 13 kills.
UNB’s Lydia Green (Bedford, NS) swung an amazing .545% with seven kills, earning Tim Horton’s Player of the Game honours.
“I wouldn’t want it any other way,” said Green, of the win on opening night. “It’s very exciting. This team is so young, but I’m excited to see what we can do.”
The first set saw back-and-forth action from the first whistle.
The teams traded points until the Sea-Hawks pulled ahead by two at 18-16.
The REDS rallied and drew even before Memorial built a three-point lead at 22-19.
UNB rallied once again, scoring four straight points to take a 23-22 lead.
A Meaghan Vaags (Abbotsford, BC) put-back made it 24-22 and a Benko ace gave UNB a 25-23 first set victory.
The second set saw more of the same back-and-forth play.
Neither team could build much of a lead until a 4-0 service run by Green put UNB in front 8-4.
The REDS then held the Sea-Hawks at arm’s length, opening a 23-16 lead before winning the set 25-16 and taking a 2-0 lead.
“We started being a little more consistent,” said Green. “We got off to a rough start in the first set and we put some pressure on them in the second, that’s when they started to fold.”
Early in the third set, the teams returned to a back-and-forth routine, before UNB pulled out a 9-6 lead.
A service ace by Halle Wirth (Winnipeg, MB) pulled the Sea-Hawks to within one at 9-8, but the REDS retaliated immediately. They scored four straight points to lead 13-8, punctuated by a Lizzy Roemer (Pitt Meadows, BC) ace.
UNB dominated the rest of the way, winning the third set 25-13 to take the match in straight sets.
“We lacked the level of belief that we needed in order to make the next jump,” said Sea-Hawks head coach Sydney Purvis. “I promise you the team you saw today is not the team I get every day in practice and it’s just being able to get that team to show up here.”
Taylor Johnson (Nokomis, SK) led the Sea-Hawks’ inconsistent offence, registering six kills.
“Hopefully we have a re-boot and we’ve got the jitters out and we’re fine and dandy for tomorrow,” said Purvis. “Obviously, we’re going to take a look at the film and re-adjust what we can be doing because, ultimately, it’s on us, not them.”
The REDS victory made a winner of interim head coach John Richard in his return to the UNB bench. The REDS Executive Director and former Athletic Director and former head coach of the women’s volleyball team, Richard hadn’t coached a regular season AUS game since February of 2012.
“He was the last coach to win an AUS title here, so we’re pretty excited to have him back,” said Green.
The REDS and Sea-Hawks will conclude their two-game weekend series on Saturday. First serve is scheduled for 1:00pm.
RECAP BY: Andy Campbell/UNB Athletics
PHOTOS BY: James West/for UNB Athletics