Acadia beats Tigers 3-2

HALIFAX, NS – The Acadia Axewomen emerged victorious in a thrilling five-set match against the Dalhousie Tigers on Saturday night, prevailing 3-2 (22-25, 26-24,25-23, 15-25, 15-11) at the Dalplex. The win lifts Acadia to a 4-4 record, while Dalhousie falls to 6-2 on the season.

After dropping the opening set 25-22, the Axewomen bounced back in the second, edging out Dalhousie 26-24. Acadia maintained momentum in the third, claiming a 25-23 win, before Dalhousie forced a deciding fifth set with a dominant 25-15 victory in the fourth.

In the fifth set, Acadia found their rhythm, overpowering the Tigers 15-11 to secure the match. The Axewomen's hitting efficiency saw a major improvement, finishing the final set with a .360 attack percentage.

Acadia was led by Alexia Lemay-Evans, who notched 17.5 points, including 17 kills. Jenna Lake contributed a solid 14 points, adding 13 kills and 17 digs. Mia Lemay-Evans and Wesley-Ann Bailey were key players as well, with Lemay-Evans contributing 10.5 points and Bailey adding 9.5 points.

Dalhousie's standout player was Talia Vydykhan, who registered 18 points, including 13 kills. Grace Calnan and Ella Hornby each tallied 17.5 and 12 points, respectively, but it wasn't enough to hold off Acadia's resilience.

Dalhousie struggled with consistency in their attack, particularly in the final set. The Tigers committed 11 errors in the fifth, a stark contrast to Acadia's efficient play.

Acadia's defense was critical to their success, as they recorded 83 digs, led by Katie MacLean with 8. In contrast, Dalhousie's defense, while strong, could not stop Acadia's balanced offensive attack in the decisive moments.

Alexia Lemay-Evans was named the player of the game for Acadia.

Acadia heads to Moncton next weekend for a two-game series while the Tigers travel to Saint Mary's for their final game of 2024 on Friday.