WVB | Kodiaks claim nail-biting victory over Ambrose

Jan. 5, 2018 – The Kodiaks women's volleyball team spent the fall semester turning heads around the ACAC, building a surprising 8-4 record and putting themselves in contention in the tough ACAC south.

On Friday night, the Kodiaks kicked off the 2018 portion of the schedule at home against the Ambrose Lions, looking to pick up where they left off.

It wasn't easy, but they got the job done. After racing out to a 2-0 set lead, the Lions roared back with a tense set three victory, before claiming set four to take the Kodiaks the distance. In the end, the Kodiaks rebounded in a tense fifth set, winning 15-12 to claim the match.

The Kodiaks came out strong in the first set but the Lions proved to be tough competitors, holding the Kodiaks point for point. In the end the Kodiaks pulled ahead for a tight 25-22 set win, led by a strong presence from Kodiaks captain Kristine Ward with seven kills and Carissa Mildenberger with two digs, three kills, and a service ace.

The Kodiaks managed to extend their match lead in the second set thanks to a big performance from Ward. While down 15-11, Ward brought the Kodiaks back into the game with four straight service points. She then took over the set offensively, leading the Kodiaks with six kills in the stanza, backed by three digs from libero Carmen Nadeau. Shelby Rinehart also showed off flashes in the set with three huge blocks. The Lions' Jeena Johner wasn't ready to go down without a fight and came out with six kills of her own, but the Kodiaks ultimately stole the set for another 25-22 set win.

Down 2-0 in the match, the Lions came out swinging in the third set, forcing the Kodiaks defense to step up their game. The Kodiaks held on point for point in the set but the Lions overcame them for a nail-biting 28-26 win to stay alive. Lions Madyson Kerr made an impressive 7 digs and Jessica Zacharias made 11 assists to snag the win.

Ready to take advantage of the momentum from the previous set, the Lions came out hot in the fourth set. The Kodiaks held tight for the first half of the set but the Lion widened the gap in the second half to take another set with a score of 25-18 and to tie up the match at 2-2. Madeline Williscroft demonstrated her versatility throughout the set with 4 attacks, 4 kills, and 4 digs.

Seeking redemption and a big victory, the Kodiaks rebounded and took an early fifth set lead. With an impressive save from Taya Mikado, the Kodiaks earned their way to a 15-12 set win and a 3-2 match victory.

With this win the Kodiaks advance their record to 9-4 in the season, while the Lions fall to 6-7. The Kodiaks and Lions are back in action tomorrow for a rematch in Calgary.

Players of the Game:
Kodiaks – #11 Kristine Ward
Lions – #12 Jeena Johner