Rustlers Women's Volleyball | Weekend Recap - Feb 14 & 15, 2020
The Rustlers women's volleyball team split their final weekend series of the regular season with The King's University Eagles.
On Friday night, the Rustlers traveled to Edmonton to take on the Eagles where they would win in a 5-set thriller (15-25, 25-21, 6-25, 25-21, 15-10).
The opening set was not strong for the Rustlers and they struggled to control the ball on serve receive. The Eagles would easily win the first set 25-15. In the second set the Rustlers would catch their stride and out-defend and out-last the Eagles to win the second set 25-21.
The Rustlers then seemed to crumble in the third set, and the Eagles seemed to make no mistakes. The Rustlers would make a few uncharacteristic hitting errors, combined with poor ball control would cause them to lose the set to the Eagles 6-25. However, the Rustlers would not let the large gap in the third set faze them, and in the fourth set the Rustlers completely controlled the game. They would win the fourth set 25-21, forcing a fifth and deciding set.
In the fifth set the Rustlers would go up early, however, due to some missed serves by the Rustlers the Eagles were close behind. At the switch the Rustlers were up 8-6. After the switch, the Rustlers ran away with the game and would win the set 15-10 over the Eagles and take the match.
Player of the game for the Rustlers was first-year outside hitter, Jenay Varga with 12 kills, 1 block, 1 service ace, and 20 digs. Varga's fourth kill of the match was a big one, as with that kill she broke the Rustlers women's volleyball record for most kills in a single season. The previous record holder was All-Canadian rightside Ashely Lange with 263.
Fourth-year rightside, Bailee Weiler had 13 kills, 3 blocks and 13 digs in the match for the Rustlers, and first-year outside hitter, Madison Blain added 8 kills, 1 service ace, and 12 digs. Fourth year libero, Belle de Vries had 20 digs in the match.
On Saturday in Lloydminster was the Rustlers last home game of the season where they would lose to the Eagles in 4 sets (22-25, 20-25, 25-18, 16-25).
The Rustlers would start the match strong where they would be up 22-20 over the Eagles near the end of the first set. The Rustlers could not seem to put the ball away, combined with some hitting errors led the Rustlers to lose the first set 22-25.
In the second set the Rustlers stuck with the Eagles, who seemed to have gained their confidence back after last night's loss. The game would be tied 20-20, where again the Rustlers could not finish out the set and they would lose 20-25.
The third set was completely Rustler controlled and allowed for them to win the set easily 25-18, forcing a fourth set. The Eagles did not let the Rustlers force another fifth set, as they would win the fourth set handily 16-25 over the Rustlers and the match 3-1.
Player of the game for the Rustlers was fifth-year middle blocker, Avery Maginel in her final home game as a Rustler with 4 kills, 4 blocks, 1 service ace and 3 digs. Rightside, Bailee Weiler had 15 kills, 3 blocks, 1 service ace and 12 digs and outside hitter, Madison Blain had 12 kills and a team-high 22 digs.
Following the game, the Rustlers took a few moments to celebrate fifth-year player Avery Maginel in her final home game as a Rustler.
The team has completed their regular season with 18 wins and 6 losses. They will be heading to the ACAC Conference Championships hosted by Medicine Hat College from February 26-29.