Lakeland Rustlers Weekend Recap - Feb 26, 2024
"It's not hyperbole to say that this past weekend was one of the most successful periods in the history of Rustlers Athletics at Lakeland College.
Six of the nine playoff qualified programs were in action between Thursday and Sunday, while women's hockey finished off their regular season in the Border City. The week started with both volleyball squads competing at the ACAC Conference Championships.
Rustlers Volleyball
Taylor Dyer and the men's team began their week in Olds with some accolades, as Dyer earned his first North Division Coach of the Year award, guiding the team to a 13-6 record. Setter Kiefer Sinclair was named All-Conference, while Libero Jake Willick made his second appearance on the North Division Team in three seasons.
In their first matchup against the defending champions, the Briercrest Clippers, Lakeland arguably played their best match of the season, winning 3-0. This was the first time in program history that men's volleyball has advanced from the quarterfinals. In the Semi's, they faced the Keyano Huskies and lost a back and forth affair in five sets. Regrouping the next day to play for bronze, they lost and even tighter five-set battle with the RDP Kings, finishing fourth.
Left-side Gabriel Bjorkas was named a Tournament All-Star, showing spectacular placement and power form the service line.
The women's team began their defence of the 2023 ACAC title against the host Lethbridge Kodiaks, an evening after learning left-side Lana Matthews, right-side Avery Bates, setter Jana Laing and libero Seanna Trumier were all named to the North Division All-Conference Team. The Rustlers made quick work of the hosts, winning in just over an hour, 3-0, to set up a rematch of last year's semifinal with the RDP Queens. Lakeland dropped the opening set 18-25, marking the first set loss for the team since Dec. 1, before winning the next three to advance to the gold medal match.
Facing the top seeded South Division program, the Ambrose Lions, the Rustlers showed why they are the top ranked program in the country. In another workmanlike victory (25-18, 25-19, 25-18), women's volleyball won their second straight ACAC title, a feat they previously accomplished in 2018.
Laing was named Championship MVP once again for the Rustlers, while Lana Matthews and Jenay Varga were Tournament All-Stars. Lakleand now heads to the CCAA Championship March 6-9, where they are heavy favourites to repeat as champions.
Rustlers Hockey
Meanwhile, women's hockey faced the NAIT Ooks in a pivotal matchup to decide first place in the ACAC, an incredible improvement for the Rustlers in just their second year in the conference.
Friday's game in Edmonton saw Goaltender Mackenzie Dojahn getting peepered with shots in the first, where the Ooks opened the scoring. Goals from Keyra Buziak and Hailey Carothers put the Rustlers in front in the second, before a tally from the home team in the final minute of the period tied things at 2-2.
A goal from Darby Robertson with just over a minute remaining in the third looked like the game winner, before NAIT's Cassidy Shandro scored with five seconds left on the clock. The game progressed to a shootout, where Claudia Lammers put home the winner. Dojahn made 52 saves for Lakeland.
With first place secured, the Rustlers headed back to Lloydminster for the final game of the regular season. It was another tight affair, with a pair of goals from Calla Kampen in the third helping Lakeland manage the 3-2 victory. Dojahn added another 30 stops.
Women's hockey finish league play with 21 wins in 25 games.
Rustlers Basketball
At the Lloydminster Gymnaisum, women's and men's basketball had one last night of combined games, with the two teams each hosting a North Division quarterfinal. As the unbeaten number one seed, women's basketball were an overwhelming favourite against the Keyano Huskies, who had advanced to the contest after defeating the Augustana Vikings in the play-in game.
The first quarter, a 22-13 period favouring the Rustlers, looked like any other strong start for the home team, as they stretched the lead to 14 at the half. However, the Huskies would not quit, knocking down several big shots to outscore the Rustlers 21-14 in the third and only trail by seven going into the final stanza. There, Lakeland's defence absolutely shut down Keyano to secure a 71-54 win.
Veda Gottselig had a big night in extended minutes off the bench, with 16 points and 9 rebounds to win Player of the Game. Hineaupounamu Nuku led all scorers with 19.
The men's contest saw the 2nd seeded Rustlers facing the NWP Wolves, a team they split their series with in Grande Prairie at the beginning of the month. Once again, the home team led big after the first quarter, but the Wolves chipped away at the lead consistently to cut the deficit to a few possessions in the fourth.
Lakeland got back up by double digits and looked in command entering the final minute of play, before a series of missed free throws and huge three's by the Wolves led to a chance for NWP to tie the game with 10 second remaining. However, POG Baha Salma made what might be the biggest block of the ACAC season, swatting away the corner three, before the Wolves turned the ball over on the ensuing inbounds pass. Andre McFadden had a game high 22 points.
This is the second time in three years and third in six years that men's basketball has made the ACAC Final Four.
Rustlers Curling
Finally, men's and mixed curling were down in the Calgary region for the ACAC Championship. Mixed Third Grace Christensen was named to the All-Conference team.
On the ice, the men's team finished 1-2 in the round robin, losing in the semifinals and the bronze match to finish fourth, their best placement in years. Mixed were undefeated in the round robin and lost their initial playoff game of the double elimination format, defeating SAIT and then RDP to win gold for the third straight year.
What's Coming Up
Both basketball teams will compete in the semifinal round of the ACAC Final Four on Friday at 6:00 PM. The men are in Fort McMurray and face the top seeded St. Mary's Lightning from Calgary, while the women take on the upstart Briercrest Clippers in Calgary (due to the top two South Division seeds both losing over the weekend). The bronze and gold medal games will take place on Saturday.
And women's hockey are at home Friday and Saturday evening, where they host the semifinal round of the postseason. They face the SAIT Trojans, with puck drop at 7:00 PM both nights. If the series is split, a decisive third game will take place at 3:30 PM on Sunday.