RECAP BY: Ethan Hunt

(Halifax, NS) - The Acadia Axewomen beat the Dalhousie Tigers 3-1 on Friday night at the Dalplex in Halifax, NS.

The Axewomen stormed out to a 5-2 lead, but the Tigers quickly countered to tie the game at six.

Despite the amazing dig by Axewomen's libero Becky Dorsey (Toronto, ON), the Tigers fought back again to tie the game at 11; Paris Stewart(Halifax, NS) gave DAL the lead with a kill, and Melissa Hatfield (Beaverlodge, AB) followed that up with a huge block to be up by two.

The reigning champions then showed their identity.

First third year libero Ali Nadalini (Bedford, NS) made a great dig, then Hatfield somehow got a third hit from the back of the court, and Stewart capped that off with a kill.

The Axewomen fought back, and Erica Fisher's (Middle Stewiacke, NS) block made the teams dead even at 15.

The two teams battled until Dalhousie was up 22-19, but a kill from Charlie Dean (Mississauga, ON), and a combined block from Wesley-Ann Bailey (Ottawa, ON) and Jenna Lake (Conception Bay South, NL) put Acadia back on top by one point, and they did not look back, taking the set 25-22.

Acadia got out to an early 4-2 lead capped off by a block by Fisher, and that lead grew to 7-3 which forced a timeout by the Tigers.

The Tigers rallied back to make it even at 11, and continued to score, making it all the way to 20-13 led by terrific digs by Nadalini, and heroic serves by Zoe Lis (Ottawa, ON).

Bailey capped off a run for Acadia with an empathetic kill that brought them back to 22-21, and they continued to make it intense for the Tigers, until an attempted kill went out of bounds and Dalhousie took the set 25-22.

Dean and Bailey combined for a block to highlight Acadia's 9-5 start and force a timeout for the Tigers.

The Tigers battled back to make it a 15-12 game after a huge block by Kyla Chubb (Springdale, ARK), and they continued to put pressure on Acadia, with Grace Calman (Cole Harbour, NS) getting a huge kill to bring them only one point down.

They fought all the way back to make it a 23-21 lead for Acadia, and with only a point to go for Acadia, Chubb came up with a huge kill, but a kill from Alexia Lemay-Evans (Azilda, ON) won the set for the Axewomen.

The Tigers were able to get out to a 8-4 lead in the third set ended with an ace by Stewart that forced an Acadia timeout.

Out of the timeout, the Axewomen were able to comeback and take the lead 14-13, and they continued to build their lead with two massive spikes from Allison Van Zemeren (Brampton, ON).

The night ended with a faulty serve, and Acadia came away with the win 3-1.

Lake came away with the player of the game for the Axewomen.

Dalhousie will look to bounce back against Saint Mary's on Sunday, and Acadia will have a week off until they face UNB.

PHOTOS BY: Nick Pearce