Holmes and Queens drop Trojans, extend winning streak to 16

Brent Forster - RDC

Red Deer, AB – The Red Deer College Queens capitalized off 35 kills from a pair of outside hitters and downed the SAIT Trojans in four sets (25-16, 20-25, 25-15 and 25-13).

Emma Holmes was named the Collegiate Sports Medicine Queens Player-of-the-Game and powered the RDC team with 19 kills. The second-year Bachelor of Kinesiology student added 12 digs and one assist.

"Emma had a monster of a game again," says Queens Head Coach Talbot Walton. "She hit 75 per cent of the balls for kills, and from an outside hitter that's a remarkable match." 

RDC's Tess Pearman accumulated 16 kills, eight digs, two aces, one stuff and finished with a 0.419 hitting percentage.

"Tess has been really starting to find her groove. She's been consistent the last six matches and we definitely need her on the floor," says Walton. "She's a good presence and does a lot at the net physically, from a blocking and attacking standpoint."

Pearman (8)

The Queens played a solid match with a temporary setback in the second set. 

"I wish we would have played better in that second set because we controlled the other three sets. An extra set means extra energy used, but we still have to be happy," explains Walton. "We did what we're supposed to do against this team. We played better than we did last night and found a way to win smoothly."

Queens setters Kelly Heinemann (46 assists) and Emma Letkeman (five) combined for 51 assists. 

The two gifted setters have played well this season which makes it a difficult decision for Walton to lean towards one as playoffs approach. 

"Both have been playing well and so consistent together. We looked at all the numbers and just about anything you can evaluate from a statistical standpoint, and even then, from our perception as coaches with our eye, it's a dead heat between the two of them on any given day," says Walton.

"It just depends where we want to score from. Kelly does a good job at connecting with her power hitters and Emma Letkeman does a good job of connecting with Emma Holmes. We do need to make a decision."

Heinemann (2)

Libero Kaylee Domoney totaled six digs and three assists.

Middle Alexandria Greenshields had seven kills, four digs, one stuff and three of RDC's seven aces.

Linnea Brickwood received the top player honour for the Trojans. The hard-working setter stacked up 24 assists, four digs and three kills.

Holmes (11) and Brickwood (4)

Trojans outside hitter Jadyn Leong pounded 16 kills and three of her team's seven aces.

With the victory, the RDC Queens extended their winning streak to 16.

"I knew we were going to be good and I knew we could compete with teams every weekend, but we have been able to find ways to win those fifth setters and find a way to be really good the following day to put back-to-back games together. For a relatively new team for me, it is a pretty big accomplishment," says Walton.

"Chris talked to them a lot last year and I taught them some same things, and different things. We've been giving them a ton of information and when I evaluate all of that as a whole, I am very pleased, proud and impressed with our team's ability to learn."

Next weekend the second place RDC Queens (16-2) will compete against the Olds College Broncos (2-18) in a home-and-home series.

The SAIT Trojans (6-16) will be back in action on Friday, Feb. 14, when they host the Lethbridge College Kodiaks (4-14) at 6:00 pm.