Domoney and Queens hand Clippers first loss, extend winning streak

Brent Forster - RDC

Red Deer, AB – The Red Deer College Queens continue to evolve their game, handing the previously undefeated Briercrest College Clippers their first setback of the season. It was a playoff type atmosphere at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre, as the Queens dropped the Clippers in four sets (23-25, 25-22, 25-21, 25-22).

It was the 19th consecutive victory for the Queens, who are ranked fifth in the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). The second nationally ranked Clippers' winning streak ended at 20.

"We looked at stats pages and the numbers between the two teams were almost identical. Whichever team was able to play better and put more pressure on the other, and I think that's what we did tonight," said Queens Head Coach Talbot Walton. "They had to react to us." 

Three members of the Queens hit double-digits in kills. Ponoka's Tess Pearman fired 18 kills and two aces in addition to three digs and a pair of stuff blocks. Emma Holmes and Erin Neufeldt had 12 kills each.

Neufeldt (6) also had eight digs

Rebecca Garner led Briercrest College with 11 kills. Mia Harder had nine. Reece Harder and Mikayla Benterud added eight each.

Emma Letkeman (30 assists) and Kelly Heinemann (eight assists) shared the RDC setter duties. Heinemann entered the match in the fourth set when the Queens trailed, and she provided a spark with a different offensive look. A couple of other substitutions swayed momentum back towards RDC.

"We fell far behind there. I like to see if my athletes can work out of it. We felt we needed that little change and we know that we will get solid play from Kelly," explained Walton. "Then Jade (Van Dyke) came in and served well. She made a couple of really good digs. Vanessa (Loos) came in there at the end – served well and made a few spectacular plays too. We needed those other people to do a certain role tonight and they filled that role 100 per cent."

Libero Kaylee Domoney was named the Collegiate Sports Medicine Queens Player-of-the-Game. The Kinesiology student from Red Deer contributed 11 digs and four assists. 

"I have to thank the effort from our team and people like Kaylee, who are the heart-and-soul and embody everything that I was talking about and trying to teach," stated Walton.

Domoney (3)

Ashley Erickson received the award for the Clippers, totaling 34 assists, seven digs and two kills.

Both sides had five service aces.

"We had opportunities to put pressure on them serving, and with our offence and both of those situations," said Walton. "They had to find solutions and I think we adapted better to them than they adapted to us."

The RDC Queens have shown massive growth since they dropped their opening two matches to the Clippers on the road to begin the season. The Queens were downed in four sets and then in three, but are now one of the top teams in Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) Women's Volleyball.

"I know that when we went to Briercrest, probably the best case scenario for us there was to get a split. I didn't honestly think we were quite ready for anything other than that," said Walton. "I knew the group they have is fairly mature and have played together a long time and we were young."

The second place Queens trail the top seed Clippers by only two points in the south standings. Both squads have qualified for the postseason.

The Queens (19-2) and Clippers (20-1) will meet on Saturday at 1:00 pm at the Gary W. Harris Canada Centre.

"We made that step and obviously have to put two of these together," said Walton. "When you get a win like that, it's waking up a beast and so we have to be ultra prepared tomorrow."

Then the RDC Queens will finish out the regular season against the Medicine Hat College Rattlers (8-13) next weekend at home.