Vikings Sweep Rattlers disappointing Sell out Crowd

The Host Medicine Hat College Rattlers Faced off against the Top Ranked Augustana Vikings for the 6pm Game on day 1 of the ACAC Championship. The Game started with the Vikings scoring 2 straight to open up the set. Medicine Hat responded with 2 of their own before 2 side-outs saw the set knotted at 3. A Brooke Christie Ace followed by 2 Megan Hoeber blocks gave the home side a 6-3 lead before the Vikings answered. The Rattlers started to feed off the crowd and jumped out to an 9-4 lead as the set moved toward the midway point. The teams started trading side-outs once again as the Rattlers held on to the small advantage. The Vikings took advantage of some Rattler errors and were able to tie the set at 13. Vikings setter Sarah Dedrick was moving the ball efficiently to her open hitters and the Vikings net defense started to click. With this and 3 straight points, the Vikings jumped out to a 16-13 lead and forced the Rattlers to take their first timeout. The teams again traded side-outs out of the break, with the Vikings holding a small lead. After a close call on a touch, the Vikings were once again able to take advantage of the momentum and opened their lead to 5, 20-15. This forced Medicine Hat to take their second timeout. Another Rattler error coming out of the break, and the Viking lead increased steadily with Lauren Van Dyke serving the Vikings led 23-15 before the Rattlers could respond. With the big lead late, the Vikings cruised to take the first set 25-17.

The second set started with a Rattlers service error only to be match by the Vikings with one of their own. The Teams traded serves and the teams were tied at 3. The Vikings took a 2 point lead on another Rattler error, but the home side came back quickly to tie it at 5. The teams traded side-outs and the back and forth set was in full swing. The Rattlers once again were able to open up a small lead going up 11-8 before Augustana could strike back. The teams got back in to the back and forth game as the score slowly crept up on the board. The Vikings were able to draw even at 15 all after 2 straight Rattler errors. Augustana again too a late lead, scoring 3 straight and going up 19-16 forcing Medicine Hat to take a timeout. The Vikings were holding on to their lead, but the Rattlers would not roll over. The back and forth battle continued with the score 21-18 Vikings still leading. The Vikings came up with a Huge block out of the break and increased the lead to 4. Able to hang on the Vikings once again turned a late lead into victory winning the second set 25-21 in a much tighter contested battle.

The Vikings seemed to be sick of their slow starts and jumped out to a very fast 5-0 lead with the help of Rebecca Petrie serving for the stretch. The Rattlers finally responded but the Vikings earned back the serve on the next point maintaining their lead. The Vikings again held serve and extended their lead. now 8-2 the Vikings served an ace and looked to have a firm control of the game. Augustana once again extended the lead, going up 11-2 and forcing the Rattlers to take a timeout. The Rattlers started to chip away slowly once the Vikings hit 15. Scoring 3 straight they had reduced the deficit but still trailed by a large 7. Once again, the Vikings started to pull away flirting with a double digit lead. They reached this going up 20-10 late in the set and making the result all but final. The Vikings cruised to a straight sets victory, winning the final set 25-15.

The ACAC Players of the Game were Dryden Gris for Medicine Hat and Justine Collin from Augustana.