Game recap by: Kirk Jessome
(Halifax, NS) – In their first home game of the new year, the Dalhousie Tigers hosted the University of New Brunswick Reds at the Dalplex. After a hard-fought first set, the Tigers were able to take advantage of early leads in the second and third to take a 3-0 victory in the match.
The Reds struck first in the match, with some kills by Kristen Burns (Mississauga, ON) and Siobhan Fitzpatrick (Kelowna, BC) to jump out to a 7-2 lead early in the set, forcing a timeout from the Tigers.
Battling out of the timeout, the Tigers chipped away at the deficit with Hannah Aldcorn (Calgary, AB) carrying the Tigers attack.
The Tigers continued to tack on points in the run, with Mieke DuMont (Kamloops, BC) getting in on the action, and Courtney Baker (Bridgewater, NS) showing some great control with her service game, adding consecutive aces.
The Tigers took a lead 16-10 lead into the technical break.
The lead continued to grow for the Tigers out of the break, but the Reds refused to go away in the set, with Julia Diemert (Egbert, ON) contributing with kills in the run, bringing themselves within three in the set.
After a timeout, the Tigers were able to close it out however, and hold on to take the 25-22 win in the set on a final kill from Julie Moore (Halifax, NS).
The Tigers didn't allow the run from the Reds at the end of the set carry over to the second, as they took a commanding lead early in the set at 12-4, with Libby Falkenham (Halifax, NS) and Victoria Haworth (Waverly, NS) leading the attack this time.
The Tigers carried that momentum into the technical timeout, leading 16-7.
Burns and Fitzpatrick picked up a few kills after the break for the Reds, but the Tigers continued to grow their lead with kills from Haworth, and one final hit from DuMont gave the Tigers a quick 25-11 win in the second set.
The Tigers serving helped them once again to begin the third set, with Haworth and Baker giving the Reds trouble, and forcing errors. This run pushed them ahead 10-2 in the set.
After a quick timeout, the Reds were able to battle in the set to try and stave off the Tigers run, with a few hard swings from Fitzpatrick, they forced the Tigers into errors to win a string of points.
The Tigers still held onto their lead going into the technical break, however, up 16-10.
Looking to make it three straight, the Tigers came out swinging out of the timeout, with DuMont and Haworth hammering home kills to give their team a stranglehold on the match.
Burns and Diemert put together one final run for the Reds, but it wasn't enough for them to overcome the deficit.
Holding serve on match-point, Libby Falkenham sent home the final kill of the match as the Tigers made it a straight-set victory, taking the third 25-17.
Julie Moore earned herself the player of the game in the match, quietly leading the Tigers attack in the victory.
The Tigers will hit the road next weekend as they travel to face Memorial in a pair of matches, while the Reds will stay in Halifax to take on Saint Mary's in matinee action tomorrow.