(FREDERICTON, NB) The Dalhousie Tigers beat the UNB REDS in straight sets Friday night in the opening match of their Atlantic University Sport weekend series.
The Tigers won with scores of 25-18, 25-21 and 25-19.
Dal’s Lucy Glen-Carter (Toronto, ON) registered a game-high 15 kills and was named the Subway Player of the Game.
“It was a hard-fought win,” said Glen-Carter. “It feels really good to be back on the court after the winter break.”
The first set saw the visitors push out to an early 5-1 lead before an early REDS timeout.
After some back and forth, Dal put together a 4-0 run to build an 18-12 lead.
Another brief run late in the set saw the Tigers go up 23-15 before scoring the 25-18 set victory.
Back and forth play continued in the second set as Dal fashioned an early 6-4 lead.
The Tigers went up 14-7 on the strength of a 4-0 run, and while the REDS put together some late surges, they couldn’t come back, dropping the second set 25-21.
The Tigers maintained control throughout the third set, building an early 8-4 lead.
UNB used a 3-0 run to pull to within one, at 15-14, but Dal scored five of the next six points to go up 20-15 en route to the 25-19 win and the 3-0 victory.
“I don’t know who that team is that was out there today,” said REDS’ head coach Richard Schick. “There was no passion for the game, and it was just unfortunate to see. We didn’t play volleyball tonight and I don’t have an explanation as to why.”
Talia Vydykhan (Hammonds Plains, NS) and Ella Hornby (Calgary, AB) aided the Dal effort with seven kills apiece.
Meghan Vaags (Abbotsford, BC) led the REDS with seven kills, while Lydia Green (Bedford, NS), Katelyn Chapman (Indian Mountain, NB), Catherine Burns (Fredericton, NB) and Bailey Lemieux (Fredericton, NB) all registered five digs for UNB.
“It’s tough to go into a match like that and not execute the way you were hoping,” said Vaags. “It felt like we weren’t playing with the motivation and aggressiveness we know that we can have. It was tough to try and bring it back.”
The Tigers improve to 9-and-1 with the win while UNB is now 4-and-6.
“Dal got very comfortable. They got comfortable in our facility and that does not bode well with me,” said Coach Schick. “I’ve seen us be able to play and compete at a much better level than that.”
The teams conclude their weekend series on Saturday, at UNB’s Richard J. Currie Center. First serve is scheduled for 1:00pm.
“I think if we can understand that we don’t have to do anything other than take care of ourselves a little bit better in preparation and then performing, that’s got to be our number one focus tomorrow.”
RECAP BY: Andy Campbell/UNB Athletics
PHOTOS BY: James West/for UNB Athletics