Women's Volleyball Weekend Recap | January 21, 2018
Two more games and two more wins for the Lakeland Rustlers Women's Volleyball team as they improved to 16-0 on the season with two wins against the Keyano Huskies on the weekend in Lloydminster. Friday night, the Rustlers defeated the Huskies in 3 sets (25-14, 25-13, 25-11) and followed that up with another win in 3 sets (25-15, 25-16, 26-24) Saturday afternoon.
Friday night, the two teams traded points to start the match before the Rustlers took a 13-7 lead. The Rustlers would give up a couple of points on miscommunications, thanks to good ball play by the Huskies. The Rustlers were able to extend their lead to 19-11 before going on to win 25-14. The Rustlers took control of the second set in the opening minutes and never looked back, opening up a 7-1 lead.
The Huskies were able to score a couple of points on Lakeland errors before the Rustlers built an 11-3 lead. The Rustlers extended their lead to 1708 and 21-11 before winning the set 25-13. The third set was all Rustlers as they took a 5-2 lead to start the set. The Rustlers doubled their lead to 10-4 and continued to extend it, going on to win 25-11.
The Rustlers were led by fourth year outside hitter Ahnika Kuse with 12 kills and ten digs, earning her Player of the Game honors. Second year setter Bailee Weiler had eight kills, five assists and six digs for the Rustlers while fourth year setter Rae Sigurdson had 30 assists.
Saturday, the Huskies came out quick, taking an early 4-2 lead. The Rustlers responded though, coming back to take a 9-5 lead, before extending the lead to 14-6. The Huskies were able to capitalize on some mistakes by the Rustlers, cutting the lead to 18-13. The Huskies couldn't complete the comeback, as the Rustlers took the set 25-15. The Rustlers opened up the second set with a 10-5 lead. The Huskies came back to cut the lead to 2, 11-9, but the Rustlers responded with a 9-3 run, taking a 20-14 lead. The Rustlers would go on to win the second set 25-16.
The teams would go back and forth to start the third set before the Huskies opened up an 8-5 lead. The Huskies extended their lead to 5, 16-11, but the Rustlers fought back to tie the set at 18. The teams would go back and forth, tying the score at 22, before the Rustlers won 26-24.
After Friday night's match, Rustlers Head Coach Austin Dyer had high praise for his teams play.
"That might have been the best match I have ever been a part of, in terms of the way that the team played," Dyer said. "Our offense scored at a high efficiency, and we were just in sync the majority of the game."
The Rustlers saw 12 players get into each match; something Sigurdson is happy about. "It feels really good, especially when we can get everyone out on the floor," Sigurdson said. "It is really nice when people come in off the bench, and they can contribute in a positive way, and I think everybody did that."
The Rustlers were led by Kuse with ten kills and six digs. Sigurdson had one kill, 33 assists, and five digs, earning herself Player of the Game for the Rustlers. Fourth year outside hitter Shelby Becker added nine kills and five digs.
The Rustlers travel to Grande Prairie next weekend to take on the Wolves, before returning home February 2nd against the NAIT Ooks as the Rustlers Make Some Noise for Mental Health.