WOLFVILLE, N.S. – The No. 3 seeded and host Acadia Axewomen topped the No. 6 UNB Varsity Reds in a 3-1 match win to advance to the semifinals against the Memorial Sea-Hawks.
The Axewomen took a quick 2-0 set lead in front of a hometown crowd of over 700 fans.
Tied at six early in the first set, UNB pushed out to a 10-7 lead on two kills, an unforced error and a service ace. The Axewomen worked back to a tie the game at 12 and would continue locking heads with UNB four more times at 13, 15, 22 and 25 before taking the 27-25 first set win.
The second set was not as close this time around, as the Axewomen pushed out to a dominating 12-6 lead. Maintaining a four to five point cushion throughout the second game, Acadia wrapped up the second frame 25-20.
Hoping to capture a 3-0 sweep, the Axewomen worked out to an 11-7 lead but the Varsity Reds would not succumb to the hometown cheers. UNB went from a 13-14 deficit to a 19-15 lead on three Acadia attack errors, a bad set and two service aces. UNB closed out the set with a kill by Janie-Eve Doucet (Fredericton, N.B.) and an Acadia attack error for a 25-21 third game win.
Out to a 7-0 advantage, the Axewomen would hold onto the lead for the entire fourth set. UNB narrowed a game high 14-6 Acadia lead but could not surpass a determined Acadia squad who eventually wrapped up the fourth and final set with a 24-17 victory.
UNB and Acadia have been matched up against each other in the opening quarterfinal match for the three consecutive championships tournaments.
"UNB is always fun to play and they always bring a lot of intensity and it's an honour to play them. They are great competitors", commented Acadia's first team AUS All-Star outside hitter Sarah Ross (Toronto, Ont.). "We have all worked so hard and we actually matched up with them in the quarters last year and we have been working for this moment since last year."
Setter Olivia Boudreault (Hammonds Plains, N.S.) was named the Acadia Subway Player of the Match with a match high 25 assists along with four kills and four service aces. Lauren Joyce (Haywards Heath, United Kingdom) received the Player of the Match honours for the Varsity Reds. Joyce posted 5 kills, 2 service aces and six digs. Teammate Janie-Eve Doucet posted a team high 11 kills and 13 points.
Sarah Ross recorded a hitting efficiency of 0.200 on 15 kills along with 10 digs. AUS All-Rookie team member Lauryn Renzella (Stouffville, Ont.) led the first year Axewomen with seven kills and one service ace.
With the 3-1 win over the Varsity Reds, the Axewomen will advance to the semi-finals for the first time since the 2010 championship when the posted a quarterfinal 3-0 win over Dalhousie. Acadia will face the No. 2 seeded Memorial Sea-Hawks. Acadia and Memorial split the two regular season meetings with 3-0 wins.