(FREDERICTON, NB) The Acadia Axewomen rallied from down two sets to beat the UNB REDS 3-2 on Saturday afternoon. 

The Axewomen won 16-25, 16-25, 28-26, 25-8, and 15-12. 

"It was rough at the beginning, but I feel like we really came together," said Acadia hitter Taylor Witty (Dartmouth, NS), named Subway Player of the Game. "It was a huge team win. Honestly, it just felt like we refused to lose." 

The teams seemed to pick up Saturday what they ended on Friday… with tight, hard-fought play, and neither team was able to establish any significant advantage. 

The REDS fashioned leads of 8-6 and 14-11 in the first set but never led by more than three until a Heather Benko (Sechelt, BC) kill put UNB in front 17-13, prompting an Acadia time-out. 

UNB pushed their lead to five, at 20-15 and 23-16, and won the set in dominant fashion, 25-16. 

The REDS began the second set the same way they ended the first, dominating the Axewomen. 

UNB led 6-1 early, forcing Acadia head coach Michelle Wood to call a time-out. 

Uncharacteristic Acadia errors allowed the REDS to push their lead to 10-2 and Wood was, again, forced to take a time-out. 

Benko would serve back-to-back aces to extend the UNB lead to 13-4, but Acadia would score four of the next six points, trimming the REDS advantage to 15-8. 

UNB continued to build their lead, going ahead by as many as 11, at 21-10, en route to another 25-16 set victory and a two-sets-to-none lead. 

In a marathon third set, the REDS continued to exert their dominance, taking an early 6-2 lead. 

An Isla Olesen (Calgary, AB) kill put UNB ahead 10-3. 

Cue the Axewomen, who scored four of the next six points to trim the UNB lead to five, at 12-7, prompting a REDS time-out. 

The Axewomen continued to chip away at the UNB lead, coming within three at 16-13 and again at 20-17. 

Riding the strong serving of Eve Collombin (Victoria, BC), the Axewomen drew even, 20-20. 

The teams were then tied at 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, and 26 before Acadia won consecutive points to take the set 28-26. 

Buoyed by the momentum generated in the third set, the Axewomen continued to hammer on the REDS in the fourth, building an early 10-3 lead and pushing it to 20-5. 

Acadia won the set, easily, 25-8. 

In the deciding set, the REDS got out to an early 4-1 lead, but Acadia rallied to draw even, 4-4. 

The Axewomen then established a 10-7 lead, prompting a UNB time-out. 

The REDS fought back and trailed 12-9 but were unable to find a way back. The Axewomen won 15-12. 

"We cleaned it up a lot," said Witty. "We were a little more crisp in the third, fourth and fifth sets and the determination was there as well." 

The loss drops the REDS' record to 8-11, while the Axewomen are now 14-4. 

Both teams are headed to Atlantic University Sport post-season play once they finish their regular season schedules. 

Up next for the Axewomen, a Friday home game against the Saint Mary's Huskies. First, serve is scheduled for 7:00 pm. 

The REDS wrap up regular season play on Friday, in Moncton. The game time is 7:00 pm. 

"I'm excited to see what we learn from this (loss)," said Lehto. "I think we're going to come back swinging." 

RECAP BY: Andy Campbell/UNB Athletics 

PHOTOS BY: James West/for UNB Athletics