Vydykhan leads Tigers to win over Axewomen

The Dalhousie Tigers defeated the Acadia Axewomen in a five-set match, 3-2 (25-15, 23-25, 25-12, 16-25, 15-13), on Saturday at Dalplex.

In the first set, Dalhousie started strong with a 3-0 opening run, featuring an attack error by Acadia's Jenna Lake and a kill by Melissa Hatfield. Dalhousie maintained momentum with Hatfield contributing significantly, including a service ace and a kill, leading to a 7-2 advantage. The Axewomen struggled with errors, allowing Dalhousie to extend their lead to 20-5, highlighted by a kill from Talia Vydykhan. Despite a late push from the Axewomen, with kills from Jenna Lake and Mia Lemay-Evans, Dalhousie secured the set 25-15 with Paris Stewart's decisive kill.

During the second set, the Axewomen took an early lead with a 4-1 run, capitalizing on attack errors by Dalhousie's Melissa Hatfield and Grace Calnan. Dalhousie rallied back to tie the score at 5-5, with kills from Kasandra Trenke and Ella Hornby, both set by Quinn McAleer. Acadia then surged ahead with a strong performance by Mia Lemay-Evans, who contributed multiple kills, extending their lead to 11-6. In the latter part of the set, Dalhousie managed a comeback, narrowing the gap to 21-21, aided by a series of attack errors from the Axewomen. However, Acadia ultimately secured the set with a 25-23 victory, highlighted by crucial points from Amy Carver and Jenna Lake.

In the third set, the Axewomen started strong with a series of three consecutive points, taking advantage of attack errors by Dalhousie's Melissa Hatfield. However, Dalhousie responded with a critical point by Hatfield, and soon after, both teams exchanged service errors. Dalhousie gained momentum midway through the set, with Talia Vydykhan and Ella Hornby contributing multiple kills, leading to a significant scoring run. Following a timeout by the Axewomen, Dalhousie maintained their lead, closing the set with a final service ace by Melissa Hatfield, resulting in a 25-12 victory for Dalhousie.

In the fourth set, Dalhousie initially gained momentum with a three-point lead, aided by an attack error from Alexia Lemay-Evans and a service ace by Ella Hornby. However, the Axewomen responded with a series of five consecutive points, driven by strong performances from Alexia Lemay-Evans and Jenna Lake, and took the lead at 4-3. Despite efforts by Melissa Hatfield and Talia Vydykhan to close the gap, Acadia maintained control, extending their lead to 11-5 before Dalhousie called a timeout. The Axewomen continued to capitalize on Dalhousie's errors and maintained their advantage, ultimately winning the set 25-16.

In the fifth set, Dalhousie started strong with a four-point streak, capitalizing on errors from the Axewomen's Alexia Lemay-Evans and Jenna Lake. Acadia called a timeout after this streak, and then responded by narrowing the gap to 4-5 with a kill by Amy Carver and a service ace by Wesley-Ann Bailey. Dalhousie continued to maintain a slight lead, with notable contributions from Talia Vydykhan and Paris Stewart, reaching a score of 11-6. Acadia rallied back with a series of points, including two service aces by Katie MacLean, but Dalhousie held their ground to win the set 15-13, concluding with a bad set by Acadia's Katie MacLean.

The Dalhousie team featured several standout players contributing significantly to their performance. Quinn McAleer led the team in assists, having delivered 32 assists over five games, showcasing her playmaking abilities. Abby Melvin was a defensive asset with 22 digs, reflecting her strong back-row defense. Kasandra Trenke was effective in attack, recording a hitting percentage of .500 with six kills and contributing one block solo. Talia Vydykhan amassed 13 points through her offensive efforts, including 13 kills over five games. Additionally, Ella Hornby was a key defensive player, tallying 16 digs and achieving a total of three blocks, demonstrating her dual capability on the court. Hornby's outstanding performance earned her the title of player of the game for the Tigers.

Dalhousie hold a conference record of nine wins and two losses. The Axewomen look to rebound on Sunday when they play the Tigers in a re-match at 2pm in Wolfville.