WOLFVILLE, N.S. – The Axewomen volleyball team posted a three-set sweep and 3-1 match win over the visiting UNB Reds to improve to 12-5. The win comes a week after the Axewomen lost two matches against the Reds in Fredericton.
A close early set changed quickly after an Acadia attack error and a UNB service ace pushed a one-point lead to a 14-11 Reds advantage. The Axewomen quickly came back to 14-15 shortfall but UNB was quick to jump to a 22-15 lead on two Adora Rooyakkers kills, two Acadia attack errors and a service ace by Kristen Burns.
With an opening 25-21 first set loss, the Axewomen bounced back with three straight set wins.
Out to a 13-5 lead, the Axewomen continued to hold onto a lead of no less than five points until the close.
The Reds went on a four point tear to close a 19-10 Acadia lead to 20-14. Two kills by Rooyakkers and two Acadia attack errors closed the Acadia advantage to 24-21, but Peyton DeWolfe's kill and a Regan Herrington service ace closed the set 25-21.
Tied at one set apiece, the Axewomen continued to be dominant with a boisterous crowd exceeding 400 to cheer them on.
"I think in the first set there were flaws in the communication. People were kinda nervous and excited about being here today. There was a lot of pressure on this game as well being a seniors game and after losing to UNB twice last weekend, so I think everyone was really ramped up in the first set, kind of all over the place, but in the second set, we had them. We just said let's calm down and do what we have to do," noted graduating setter Regan Herrington who was named the Subway Player of the Game.
The Axewomen lead the third set by as much as 12 points at 23-11, but once again the Reds fought back to close the gap to 24-17 Acadia on the back of five Acadia errors. The Axewomen prevailed with a 25-18 third set win.
Leading the match 2-1, the Axewomen posted a fourth victory to grab the 3-1 match win. A kill by Lucy Glen-Carter at 17-12 proved to be the turning point as the Axewomen inched their way towards a 22-17 lead and eventual 25-19 win.
Glen-Carter led the Axewomen with 12 kills while graduating senior Peyton DeWolfe posted 10 kills. Herrington engineered the attack with 29 of 43 sets and graduating senior Micaela Sabean defended with 21 digs.
UNB's Adora Rooyakkers led all on the court with 15 kills for a hitting percentage of 0.200. Maggie McLenahan recorded 21 digs for the Reds.
The Reds drop to 8-7 and trail second place Acadia by eight points in the AUS standings. UNB has five games remaining in the regular season, while Acadia has three – all on the road.
The Axewomen head to Moncton on Sunday at 2:00 pm and the Reds play Moncton tomorrow at 4:00 pm.