Queens open championship with sweep over Ooks

Brent Forster - RDC

In the opening game at the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) Women's Volleyball Championship in Camrose, the Red Deer College Queens played better as the match progressed and defeated the NAIT Ooks in straight sets.

The RDC Queens entered the contest as the second seed in the south which matched them against the third place NAIT Ooks from the north. 

In the first set, NAIT jumped out to an early lead and held a five point edge on several occasions (10-5 and 19-14). Momentum began to swing in favour of RDC with back-to-back kills from Miranda Dawe, an All-Conference selection, and Hanna Delemont, a fourth-year middle blocker. Then strong net play from the Queens with a pair of stuff blocks allowed RDC to pull even 20-20. The RDC Queens continued to push and fifth-year outside hitter Miranda Dawe capped off the opening set 25-23 with a kill from the left side.

After the Ooks had a 7-4 edge in the second set, the Queens went on an incredible 11-0 run to jump ahead 15-7. During that stretch, setter Chanelle Kayser, a member of the 2017 -18 All-Conference team, created service pressure on the Ooks and picked up a pair of aces. NAIT tried to rally but the Queens closed out the set 25-19.

The Queens jumped out to an early lead in the third set. McKenna Barthel extended the margin to 7-3 off the Ooks' block and out. RDC continued to roll as they fine tuned their game. The Queens eventually solidified a 25-18 win to take the match in straight sets. 

Chanelle Kayser was named the player-of-the-game for the Queens. The Bachelor of Science Nursing student accumulated 23 assists, 5 service aces, 5 digs, 2 kills and 2 stuff blocks. Miranda Dawe stacked up 11 kills, Naomi Jardine recorded 8, McKenna Barthel and Hanna Delemont had 7 each. The Queens displayed their blocking prowess and finished with 13 stuff blocks. 

Jamie Bain was chosen as the player-of-the-game for the Ooks and totaled 22 assists, 4 digs, 4 service aces and 1 kill.

Queens Volleyball Head Coach Chris Wandler liked the performance as the match developed and was pleased with the play from his setter. "We got off to a rocky start with our pass and serve game," said Wandler. "As we started to settle in, Chanelle Kayser did a great job with the passes she was given to set up the offence. She found our middles when necessary and then put the ball in great spots for our outside hitters."

In the following match, the Lakeland College Rustlers swept the Ambrose University Lions in three sets (25-17, 25-15 and 25-9). In the third game, The King's University Eagles won in straight sets over the Lethbridge College Kodiaks (25-17, 25-18 and 28-26). The Briercrest College Clippers defeated the host University of Alberta Augustana Vikings in four sets (20-25, 25-17, 25-8 and 25-19) to finish the opening day of competition.

The RDC Queens will compete against the Lakeland College Rustlers, Friday, February 23, at 6:00 p.m. at the University of Alberta Augustana campus. The Lakeland College Rustlers finished 23-1 in the regular season as the top seed in the north.