Kodiaks over Queens at Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre

Brent Forster - RDC

Red Deer, AB - In the home opening match at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre, inconsistent play proved to be too costly as the young Red Deer College Queens entertained the Lethbridge College Kodiaks. After trailing by two sets, the Queens grabbed the third set but couldn't complete a comeback, and the Kodiaks picked up a four set road victory.

Not much separated the two teams in the first set. The teams were tied 20 – 20, until the Kodiaks went on a 5 - 0 run to cap off the opening set 25 – 20.

The RDC Queens had a great start to the second set, capturing a 9 – 3 edge. The six point deficit forced Kodiaks Head Coach Anna Schwark to call a timeout which provided her team a spark. Lethbridge College eventually tied the set 20 - 20 and carried that momentum to a 25 - 23 win.

After the third set was even 15 – 15, the RDC Queens outscored the Kodiaks 10 – 6 en route to a 25 – 21 victory.

In the fourth set, the Queens took a five point lead (8 – 3) in the early stages but then the Kodiaks came on. Lethbridge College sealed a 25 – 17 decision for the match win.

Queens Head Coach Chris Wandler felt that there were too many inconsistencies in the match. "We played young and undisciplined. It showed quite a bit out there and you can't do that at this level. When you are young, you have to concentrate on your training and we failed to do that tonight," says Wandler. "It is about controlling what you can, and doing that consistently. You can't have a roller coaster. It has to be a flat line, a consistent mentality of execution. There wasn't enough of that."

Wandler kept the setback in perspective. "We do have some things that we need to pay attention to, but there are 24 games in the season," he says. "This is the very beginning piece."

Britt Davis was chosen as the Queens Player-of-the-Game and Mackenzie Lewicki received the honour for the Kodiaks. Davis, a Kinesiology student from Sherwood Park, finished with 12 kills, 9 digs, 4 stuff blocks and 2 service aces. Lewicki accumulated 8 kills, 13 digs and 5 service aces. 

For RDC, Erin Neufeldt and Kaylee Domoney recorded 12 digs each.

Wandler appreciated the play from his third-year outside hitter. "I liked Britt's consistent level of play – from the first point to the last one. She didn't do anything out of her realm that she hasn't practiced," he says.  "She brought that to the gym tonight. That's why she had the stat line that she did and she played very well, and that's why she was our player-of-the-game tonight."

Next, the Red Deer College Queens (0 - 1) will face the Lethbridge College Kodiaks (1 - 0 ) at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 13 at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre.