Rattlers Win in 4
The Briercrest Clippers rolled into Medicine Hat to face off against the Rattlers on a Snowy November Friday. Clipper Bryton Codd opened up the game with 6 straight service points. After a huge T-Line kill from Keandre Evans, the Rattlers were able to steal some of the momentum back scoring 4 straight to answer. As play settled in, the teams started trading side-outs. Neither team able to control momentum longer than a few points. As the set moved into the middle the Rattlers battled back and tied the set at 13. A second block in a row from Zach Frank saw the Rattlers move into the lead for the first time in the set. A back and forth affair, the game grew closer and the calls tighter. Both coaches looking to the officials for explanation on calls. Medicine Hat seemed to have the higher-powered offence with most of their points coming off big hits. Where the Clippers relied on defense, speed, and deception to score points. Medicine Hat was up two late, looking to close out the first. The Clippers called a timeout to avoid losing the first set. Up 23-21, Medicine Hat hoped to close out a set in which they were down by 7. Now 24-22 and with the Rattlers serving for the set, Briercrest took another timeout. This was to no effect as the Rattlers took the first 25-22 coming back from 7 down early.
Set number two started for the Rattlers much better than the first. 2 straight points with the serve quickly gave Medicine Hat an advantage. Using this momentum they built up a 5-1 lead early, flipping the script on the first set. The Clippers did not roll over but continued to battle and stay with the Rattlers. At a 8-4 Rattlers lead, The clippers took an early timeout in an attempt to shift the momentum back their way. Although continuing to stay with Medicine Hat, Briercrest could not seem to make up any ground. Any time the Clippers would score and begin to shift the momentum, Medicine Hat would bring the crowd to its feet and steal it right back. The Rattler offence had too many weapons for the Clippers to handle. The Rattlers maintained their lead and would not let the Clippers into the game. Holding on to their early lead the Medicine Hat Rattlers Closed out the second set 25-21 taking a two sets to zero lead.
Briercrest came out in the third set trying to extend the match. Scoring three straight, the Clippers were able to open up a small advantage early. This advantage held as teams again started trading side-outs. The score slowly climbed up the scoreboard with Briercrest still holding a distinct advantage. A few Rattler errors allowed the lead to grow now up to 5.The Rattlers winning a few points seemed to gain new life battling back to within 1. This was as close as Briercrest would let them get as they extended their lead to 3 again. Two more Medicine Hat net violations extended the Clipper lead to 5 now up 20-15. The timeout gained the Rattlers the Serve, but sloppy attacking continued to cost them. The Clippers were able to capitalize on the Medicine Hat errors and carried their early lead to the end of the set. This allowed the Clippers to take the third 25-20
Teams Traded points to open up the Fourth set. Medicine Hat hoped to close the match out and did not want to go to a 5th set. Unfortunately for the Rattlers, their errors from the third set carried over to the fourth. Briercrest took an early 3 point lead. Medicine hat quickly erased this lead and took over thanks to some efficient offence and a Briercrest error. This momentum gained by Medicine Hat continued as they took a 4 point lead up 11-7. A few points to the Clippers appeared to have the momentum again switching back, until a great tip from setter Nikola Sreckovic or the Rattlers halted the Clipper charge. Now 18-14 Rattlers, Clippers coach Nigel Mullan called a timeout in an effort to ice the Rattler server. This worked for the first serve but the Rattlers were able to win serve right back. The battle continued with both teams still battling out every point. The Rattlers were too much getting out to an even bigger lead and taking the match 25-19 and 3 sets to 1.
The ACAC Player of the Game for Briercrest was Caleb Schnitzer and from Medicine Hat Alfred Dalevik