Hornby leads Tigers to win over Aigles Bleues

The Dalhousie Tigers claimed a decisive victory over Moncton with a final score of 3-0 in a match held at Sexton Gym on Friday.

In the first set of the match, Dalhousie emerged with a 25-13 victory. The Aigles Bleues took an early 2-0 lead with a kill by Evette Petherick and a service ace by Mia Ladd. Dalhousie responded with a series of points, including three consecutive points from Ella Hornby, turning the score to 5-2 in their favor. Dalhousie continued their strong performance with Quinn McAleer contributing significantly through assists, and Melissa Hatfield adding multiple kills. The Aigles Bleues called two timeouts during the set, but Dalhousie maintained their momentum, closing the set with a kill by Ella Hornby to secure the win.

Dalhousie opened the second set with a strong performance, quickly advancing to a 6-0 lead with Quinn McAleer contributing significantly through strategic plays, including a service ace and an assist on a block by Melissa Hatfield at play number 51. The Aigles Bleues called a timeout after falling behind 7-0 but struggled to regain momentum as Dalhousie extended their lead to 14-2, with Kasandra Trenke adding to the tally through kills and service aces. The Aigles Bleues then mounted a brief comeback, closing the gap to 14-6, with Tori Casey and Mia Ladd making key contributions. Ultimately, Dalhousie maintained their advantage and secured the set with a 25-16 victory, highlighted by strong play from Hatfield and Trenke.

The third set of the game between Dalhousie and Moncton featured several notable streaks and shifts in momentum. Dalhousie initially trailed as the Aigles Bleues gained a lead with a service ace by Angèle Turenne, bringing the score to 5-3 in favor of the Aigles Bleues. Dalhousie responded with a series of points, including a service ace by Kirsty Longino, to level the score at 11-11. After a timeout, Dalhousie gained control with a run of points, culminating in a critical service ace by Sophia Stubeda that pushed their lead to 24-18. Despite the Aigles Bleues closing the gap slightly, a kill by Kasandra Trenke secured the set for Dalhousie with a final score of 25-20.

Kasandra Trenke stood out for Dalhousie, leading the team with an impressive .778 attack percentage, accumulating 7 kills on 9 attempts without an error, and contributing 11.5 points. Ella Hornby also made a significant impact with a .529 attack percentage, recording 11 kills on 17 attempts, along with a total of 12 points. Melissa Hatfield was another key player, tallying 10 kills with a .412 attack percentage across two games and adding 11 points. Quinn McAleer showed versatility, contributing 12 assists and 2 service aces, enhancing the team's offensive capabilities.

With the win, the Tigers clinch a playoff spot. The teams return to the court for game two of the weekend series on Saturday at 3pm.