Clippers take 5 set Thriller.

On a Frigid day in Medicine Hat, the Briercrest Clippers entered the snake pit hoping to continue their dominance of the Rattlers on the season. A slow relatively even start saw neither team gain an early advantage. Briercrest used their strong service, and quick attack to cement an early lead. The Rattlers had no answer for the Clippers offence in this set. The Rattlers battled to slow the bleeding and cut into the 9 point lead, but it was too little too late as the Clippers took the First set 25-17.
The second set started looking much like the first, with the Clippers controlling with their serve. Medicine Hat finally started passing up the rocket serves and setter Avery Triggs started distributing the ball to Rattler Hitters. This swung the momentum and saw the Clippers scrambling and calling a timeout. The atmosphere in the once deflated gym changed with an uproar of support for the home side. Another Clippers timeout seemed to swing the momentum back towards the visitors closing the gap and cutting the 6 point lead in half. Rattler Vitor Pereira stepped up to serve and closed out the game 25-18 with three hard aces evening the match at 1 set apiece.
The Rattlers opened up the Third set with the momentum of the second set. The first two points were hard on the floor from Rattler Hitters. The Clippers Battled back on some long rallies levelling the match and eventually taking over. Some big blocks from Briercrest pushed the momentum back to open up a 5 point lead early. Rattlers Coach Mark Porter was incensed with the referees call after an obvious carry was missed. This seemed to spark the home side as they battled back and closed the gap to 1, 15-14. The Clippers were just too much as they took the set 23-25.
Hoping to take the 1st match of the weekend the Clippers aimed to take down the rattlers in this set. Medicine Hat had other ideas keying off of one key clippers hitter. They shut down the attack early with a few big blocks on Clipper Taylor Klassen. Rattler Setter Avery Triggs came up big with some brilliant digs and good distribution of the ball helping his team gain a small lead early. This was quickly erased with a service run by Clipper, Mitch Erickson. A tie game at 13 had both teams battling for the lead leading to some questions from both teams coaching staff for the officials. Medicine Hat took a 20-17 lead late into the set hoping to force a 5th set. A red card on Medicine Hat from a stare-down from Alfred Dalevik after a very unsportsmanlike comment from the Briercrest side. The score knotted at 23 this match was either teams to take. Both teams traded side-outs to remain tied at 26. The Rattler Fans for the home side back into it spurring them to take the set 28-26. A deadlock at 2 sets each.
The match needed a 5th and deciding set after a back and forth game that saw both teams with leads vanish and momentum swings both directions. Briercrest took a small lead in the Deciding set, going into the switch up 3. Medicine Hat tried to will the fans back in the game but Briercrest seemed to follow up every big point from the rattlers with a momentum killing attack. The clippers finally closed out the game with a 15-8 5th set victory.