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Rattlers women’s volleyball team wins first match since November

Jan 20, 2018 | 12:46 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – A six-game losing streak ended on Friday night for the Medicine Hat College Rattlers women’s basketball team, winning their first match of the new year against Lethbridge College.

It was a marathon bout between the Rattlers and Kodiaks, lasting five sets and testing the endurance of both teams.

Brooke Christie’s late kill in the opening set highlighted a 25-17 win for Medicine Hat, on the heels of some strong serving by the Rattlers club.

In the second set, Medicine Hat came out firing with an 8-4 lead over Lethbridge, but the Kodiaks were able to rally to win a tight set 25-20.

The Rattlers and Kodiaks were evenly matched in the third set with the score knotted at 10-10, however Medicine Hat was able to post a number of big blocks from Christie, Paige Burton, and Janessa Oelke to take the set 25-19.

Medicine Hat had the Kodiaks down to match point in the fourth set 24-22, but Lethbridge was able to stave off elimination with a pair of scramble plays to win 26-24 and force a deciding fifth set.

Five straight points to start the set gave the Rattlers a 5-0 lead, however the Kodiaks were able to close the gap to 9-5 shortly after.

Late momentum was on Medicine Hat’s side though, rallying for a handful of points to take the set 15-10 and win the match in five sets.

Christie and Amber Stigter were exceptional in the win for Medicine Hat, combining for 33 kills, 29 digs, and four blocks.

Winning their first match since November 18, the 5-12 Rattlers still try to keep pace in the ACAC South Division standings with the fifth-place SAIT Trojans.

The Rattlers men’s volleyball team was also looking to end a losing spiral, dropping their last six games in a row as well.

Lethbridge’s defence was on full display early in the match, diving for a number of loose balls and helping the Kodiaks to a 25-22 win over the Rattlers in the first set.

The Kodiaks took a 3-0 lead in the second set which was too much for the Rattlers to come back from, unable to find any consistency and losing a 25-23 decision.

Trying to keep the game going, the Rattlers were able to come back from an early deficit in the third set to tie the game at 7-7.

Ultimately, the Kodiaks proved to be too much with Medicine Hat losing the third set 25-21 and being swept 3-0 by Lethbridge College.

Lethbridge had 51 kills on the night compared to Medicine Hat’s 32, while Avery Triggs and Chad Sieben split time as setters for the Rattlers.

Now winless in their last seven matches, Medicine Hat holds a 9-8 record and have been passed by the Kodiaks for third place in their division.

The Rattlers volleyball teams continue the home-and-home series against the Kodiaks on Saturday night, heading to Lethbridge College for a pair of games.