Rustlers defeat Ooks in 5

The Lakeland Rustlers defeated the NAIT Ooks in 5 sets (25-20, 25-16, 23-25, 19-25, 16-14) Saturday night in a match that was well fought by both teams.  The started off slow before finding their rhythm and taking a 12-7 lead.  The Rustlers would continue to add to their lead, building increasing it to 16-8.  The Ooks capitalized on miscommunications by the Rustlers, cutting the lead to 19-15.  The Rustlers would hang on to win the set 25-20.  The Ooks would come out strong in the second set and the teams would go back and forth early on, before the Rustlers took a 14-10 lead.  The Ooks responded following a timeout, but the Rustlers would go on to win 25-16.  The third set was once again back and forth early on.  The Ooks would take the lead several times, but the Rustlers would continually respond, tying the game at 15.  The teams continued to go back and forth for the rest of the set, but the Ooks got the points when they mattered most, winning 25-23.  The fourth set was controlled by the Ooks early on, as they jumped out to a 7-1 lead.  The Rustlers responded and the teams would go back and forth before the Ooks would pull away, taking the set 25-19.  The momentum seemed to be on the Ooks side heading into the fifth set, but the Rustles would stay strong.  The teams traded points before the Rustlers took a 10-8 lead, forcing the Ooks to call a timeout.  The Ooks responded to tie the game at 10 and the teams would go back and forth before the Rustlers won 16-14.  Player of the Game for the Rustlers was #1, Olivia Thomson.  Player of the Game for the Ooks was #11, Lauren Smith.