Eagles win Bronze over Vikings
The Bronze medal match took place between the top 2 ACAC North teams, The King's University Eagles and the Augustana Vikings. Splitting their season series, the Result today would prove who had the edge. The Game started with the TKU Eagles scoring the first two points with the help of a Vikings error. An Augustana miscommunication put them down further, and the Eagles took advantage jumping out to a 7-1 lead. Augustana Brought in a new setter which settled things down and they took a point and served an Ace to follow it up. A blown serve saw the Vikings still down by 5 with the set well underway. The squads traded side-outs from here as the Eagles approached the midway point they were able to hold on to their lead, up 12-7. The Vikings narrowed the lead on a big block from Karen Wagner and Lauren Van Dyke as the Vikings swung the momentum back in their favor. Back within 2, 12-10 the TKU Eagles called timeout in an effort to slow the momentum and maintain their lead. Doing just that the Eagles pulled ahead 15-10 before the Vikings started another run. With 4 straight, they cut the lead to 1 before the Eagles once again responded. Late in the set the Eagles were up 19-16 and held serve to restore their 4 point lead. TKU led late 23-18 and continued to cruise winning the first set 25-19.
The Second set started with the TKU Eagles once again getting off to a quick start but this time Augustana was able to match. The Vikings took a 5-3 lead after scoring 4 straight. They added a 5th to take a 3 point advantage, forcing the Eagles to take a timeout. This did not work as the Vikings added 3 more coming out of the break and taking a 9-3 lead. Shaelyn Boyes added another ace to make it 10 before the Eagles responded. TKU held serve to reduce the deficit to 5. Again the Vikings pressed and increased the lead to 7. As the Vikings passed the halfway point they were up 13-8 holding on to their lead. However, the play was back to a back and forth and the Eagles continued to try and chip away slowly at the lead. The Eagles came back with a vengeance within one 12-13 before Augustana could respond. The teams traded side-outs and the score climbed up the board. TKU tied the set at 16 before quickly taking the lead. Adding a second point to the lead quickly the Eagles were ahead 19-17 right near the end of the set. The Vikings were still hanging around and tied it back up at 19 after a TKU miscommunication. Still tied at 20, and 21, the Vikings took the lead 22-21 forcing the Eagles to take their second timeout. The teams traded side-outs and the TKU Eagles score 2 quick points taking a 24-23 lead at the end of the set. This saw the Vikings take their second timeout. With a chance to serve for the set the Eagles took advantage of a Viking error and won the second set 25-23 taking a 2 sets to 0 lead.
The Third set got started with a quick back and forth which saw both teams even at 4. The trend continued for one more cycle, until Vikings Captain Rae Metrunec served 2 Aces and gave the Vikings a 7-5 lead. TKU immediately score two of their own to level the set again at 7. With a point on a long rally the Vikings restored their 2 point lead before adding one more on a great block from Sarah Diedrick. Augustana grabbed the momentum and took a 12-7 lead forcing TKU to take a timeout. The Vikings scored again coming out of the break and extended their lead going up 14-8. Another Big block from Setter Diedrick, saw Augustana hit 15 points with the eagles at 8. The teams traded quick side-outs but the Vikings again took control going up 18-9. Once again the Eagles took a timeout in a last ditch effort to change the direction of the set. A quick side-out and holding serve twice saw the Eagles start to come back before the Vikings quickly squashed it scoring back to back. A big Eagles miss saw the score move to 21-12 Vikings. With the set all but over, the Vikings cruised to a 25-17 third set victory, forcing a fourth.
The Fourth set started with a TKU Ace followed by a quick side-out for the Vikings. TKU scored 4 in a row to take a quick 5-1 lead. the teams traded points with the intensity picking up. The Eagles were able to maintain their lead still ahead 8-4. The Vikings were staying right with the Eagles and started making up ground near the end of the early stages of the set. Down only 2, 8-10 the Vikings looked to create some momentum but TKU quickly re-established their 4 point lead on an Ace. The Vikings came right back with an Ace of their own and again reduced the Eagle lead to 2. TKU once again was able to explode for a streak scoring a quick 3 points and going up 17-12 forcing Augustana to take a timeout. Both teams came out of the break strong, scoring quickly as the game neared the end. The Eagles took a 7 point lead going up 21-14 and only needed to trade side-outs to take the match. This happened for a few points as the Vikings tried to fight for every ball. They started to come back and got the score to read 18-22 forcing TKU to take a timeout. The Vikings again held serve coming out of the break but the Eagles made a quick side-out to regain serve. Winning it back right away the Vikings held serve and got to work scoring 2 to trail 22-23. The Eagles won the next point and went up 24-22 forcing the Vikings to take a timeout. A long rally on the next point saw the Vikings within one. The went to tie it at 24 the next serve and push the set to extra points. the Eagles gained the advantage 25-24 and an ace from Jada Lea won them the Bronze medal winning set 3 26-24 and 3 sets to 1.
The ACAC Players of the game were Shaelyn Boyes for Augustana and Tracy Eswashkiw for TKU
The Tournament all stars were Rae Metrunec and Sarah Dedrick for Augustana and Anna Pattison and Jada Lea for TKU