Lions take Close game in Medicine Hat

The Ambrose Lions headed southeast from Calgary to Medicine Hat to face off against the Rattlers. The Lions hoped to continue what they had started the night previous. The Rattlers hoped to defend home court. The visiting Lions opened up the game with 3 straight points before a service error. The Rattlers followed this up with 4 points of their own battling right back into the game. Rattlers Amber Stigter and Paige Burton lead the offence in the first part of the set accounting for all of their teams kills. Rookie Grace Porter stepped up in the front row killing 3 straight opening up a 4 point margin 13-9. This forced Ambrose to take a timeout to regroup. Coming out of the Timeout the Rattlers maintained momentum with Paige Burton coming up with a big block. The Lions Jessica Zacharias stepped up to serve and held for 4 straight. This swung the momentum back to the lions who tied the set at 15. The score crept up as the teams traded side-outs and errors. The Rattlers grabbed a small advantage as they lead by 2 nearing the end of the set, up 21-19. A timeout from Ambrose saw the momentum change again with the Lions taking the next 3 points and the lead. Game tied at 23, Ambrose took the final two points of the set to win 25-23.

The second set started with a few long rallies and no team really having control early. Side outs were the story of the first 10 points with many coming on errors and hits that sailed long and wide. The Rattlers had a small 2 point lead up 10-8. This lead was short lived as the Lions came back to tie the game at 14. The score slowly climbed as both squads traded points. The Lions broke through as they were able to open a slight lead late in the set. Rattler Laura Velcoff step up to serve, with two big serves she leveled the game at 20. This prompted Ambrose to take a timeout. The set was again tied at 23 with the Lions up to serve. Rattler vet Amber Stigter, elevated way up to kill a ball off the block forcing game point. A scramble on the Lions side of the net on the next point saw the Rattlers flip the score winning 25-23.

The third set, in the now best of three, was crucial for both teams. A win here for either side would put a stranglehold on the match. Ambrose came out hard early taking a 6-2 lead early in the set. Forcing the Rattlers coaching staff to burn an early timeout. Medicine Hat was not much better coming out of the Break as the Lions capitalized on the next two points with authority. Now up 10-2, the Lions just hoped to contain the game and minimize mistakes. Medicine Hat needed to put up some serious points to get back in the game. Ambrose seemed to ease off as the Rattlers started to gain more points never really closing the gap any. The Lions offence came by committee with almost everyone on the floor contributing to the cause. The Rattlers could not climb back into the game as the early deficit seemed insurmountable. The only saving grace seemed to be Laura Velcoff and her serve giving the Lions fits. After 3 aces the Rattlers had closed the gap to 3 trailing 17-20. This forced the Lions to take a timeout. After the timeout, Velcoff came back with another ace and a huge kill from Grace Porter and the Rattlers only trailed by one. Ambrose took the next two points opening a lead back up before the Rattlers strong net play tied the set at 22. This forced the Lions into another timeout. Two straight points from the Lions saw them with 2 chances to close out the set. They needed both chances, but ultimately won 25-23.

The 4^th set opened with Medicine Hat scoring the first two points. In this must win set the Rattlers hoped to push this final Home game of the season to 5 sets. With this the Rattlers held a small lead up 8-5 early in the set. Both teams seemed to find a small rhythm offensively with both teams not sacrificing much. The teams traded points all the way up with only a small break coming when Medicine Hat scored on the serve to take a 19-17 lead. This forced the Lions to take a timeout to avoid falling further behind. Trailing by 1, The Lions hoped to avoid a 5^th set. Medicine Hat had other ideas as they took a 23-20 lead late. Ambrose came back with the next two points trailing by only one. The Rattlers scored again earning two chances to take the set. It took both chances, but the Rattlers forced a 5^th and deciding set.

The deciding set saw Medicine Hat open with three big points out of the gate. This quick onslaught forced the Lions to call a timeout to gather the troops. This helped for the next point, but the Rattlers stayed composed winning the following point. The Lions battled back to tie the game at 5 after a missed call cost the Rattlers on a long rally. The Rattlers used their emotions to battle back into the lead leading 8-6 at the court switch. The switch seemed to sap all the energy out of the Rattlers squad as the Lions went on a run leading the game 13-9. The Lions were too much as they took the set 15-9 winning 3 sets to 2.