Dawe and Queens complete back-to-back sweeps over Broncos

Brent Forster – RDC

Red Deer, AB – With double-digit kills from three different Queens, the RDC team swept the Olds College Broncos (25-13, 26-24 and 25-18) in a pair of weekend matches, winning their fourth in a row.

The Queens hit the court with energy. Kills from Sydney Rix down the middle and Katrina Dawe from the left side propelled the Queens ahead 8-2. RDC controlled the play and grew their six point margin. Sylvan Lake's Megan Steenbergen found success from the service line and finalized the first set 25-13 with back-to-back aces.

After the second was even 8-8, the Broncos went on a 13-8 run (21-16). With the help of five consecutive serves from Natalie Bloemen, the Queens started to climb back and a kill from Emma Holmes on the right sealed a 26-24 decision.

An ace from Katrina Dawe put the RDC Queens ahead 9-6 in the third. Late kills from Emma Holmes and Sydney Rix helped confirm a 25-18 victory.

Overall, Chris Wandler, Queens Head Coach, was pleased with the weekend performances, and thinks the Queens can use the experience for further development.

"We did whatever we needed to do. It wasn't our most disciplined game from an unforced error perspective. We gave them way too many points to stay in it and that's not acceptable," he says. "It is another learning piece for us but other than that I was quite happy with the effort the entire weekend. I put some different people in the line-up and gave them some court time. They don't get better by not being on the court."

Wandler noted the progression of first-year setter Natalie Bloemen who finished with 25 assists, 3 digs and 1 kill. "Natalie is still trying to learn what it takes to run a college level offence and she's coming along quite well," says Wandler. "There's always room for growth, but so far so good."

Katrina Dawe was chosen as the Queens Player-of-the-Game and Samantha Laboucan received the award for the Broncos. Dawe recorded 11 kills, 6 digs, 2 service aces, 2 assists and 2 block assists. Laboucan had 5 digs and 2 kills for the Broncos.

Katrina Dawe (8) Colby Brochu Photography

"Katrina was good. She put way too much on her shoulders at the beginning of the year," says Wandler. "She's learning to let go and play more in the moment. She's getting there."

Both Emma Holmes and Jade Van Dyke contributed 10 kills each.

Colby Brochu Photography

Wandler and the Queens are looking forward to the challenge of playing the Ambrose University Lions next.  "We still have a long way to go," he says. "Next weekend against Ambrose, we have to be crisper and more disciplined in our game to come out with the type of game that we're happy with. They are pretty good."

Next weekend, the RDC Queens (5-5) will face the Ambrose University Lions (6-2) in a home-and-home series. On Friday, November 16, the Queens will host the Lions at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre at 6:00 p.m.