Baker leads Tigers to 3-0 win over Reds

(FREDERICTON, NB) The Dalhousie Tigers beat the UNB Reds in straight sets Friday night, 25-13, 25-20 and 25-18. 

"It was not easy," said veteran Tigers setter Courtney Baker (Bridgewater, NS). "I think we struggled in a lot of areas and we had errors that we have to work on. UNB highlighted those errors in their play." 

Baker led the Tigers with 17 assists and was named the Subway Player of the Game. 

Julie Moore (Halifax, NS) recorded 11 kills for Dal, while Catherine Callaghan (Halifax, NS) added 13 digs. 

Victoria Eadle (Gallagher Ridge, NB) led the Reds with a match-high 12 kills. She also had 10 digs. Paige Lehto (North Vancouver, BC) had 17 serve assists for UNB. 

In a re-match of last season's Atlantic University Sport finalists, the Tigers raced out to a 4-0 lead on the strength of some strong serving by Micaela Sabean (Bridgewater, NS). 

The Reds fought back to down 5-7, but couldn't stay close. 

At the technical time-out of the first set, the Tigers were up 16-7. 

The Reds played well out of the break. Strong blocking from Eadle and Katie MacDonald (St. John's, NL), helped UNB claw back a few points, but the Tigers pulled away, winning the set 25-13. 

In the second set, the Reds took their first lead of the match, but quickly watched the Tigers rally. 

Up 3-2, the Reds allowed Dal to score liberally and build a 13-7 lead. 

At the technical time-out of the second set, the visitors led 16-8. 

The Tigers would extend that lead to 20-9 before Melika Belliveau (Shediac, NB) ended the run, delivering a kill and then a big block. 

UNB scored three straight points to pull to within 21-15, and closed to within 24-20 before the Tigers won the set 25-20. 

The third set saw the Tigers build a 16-8 ahead of the technical time-out, on route to a 25-18 win and a 3-0 victory. 

"We had slow starts," said Lehto, of the UNB effort. "We'd end with the aggression we needed to come with right out of the gate. It would take until about 20 before we realized we had a battle. We were frustrated and it held us back, negatively. We needed to find a way to start better." 

Despite the win, Baker says the Tigers are far from satisfied. 

"I don't think we should be satisfied," said last season's conference MVP. "In this game, anything can happen and there's always room to grow. We're working hard every single day and I don't think we'll be satisfied until the end of the season, if we get the results we want." 

The Tigers, now 3-and-0, sit atop the AUS standings. 

The Reds fall to 2-and-1, and are in second place in the conference. 

The two teams meet again Saturday, at UNB's Currie Center. Game time is 1:00pm.