Kodiaks win in an early bid for the best match of the championship
Red Deer, February 23, 2023 – Down by two sets, the Lethbridge College Kodiaks battled back and won it in five against The Kings University Eagles.
Back in December, the Kodiaks and the Eagles fought in a five-set thrilling match back in Lethbridge, where the Eagles came out on top in the only meeting between these two teams in the 2022/2023 season.
After falling behind early on in the opening set, the Eagles would go on a five-point run to go up on the Kodiaks 7-4. But the Kodiaks managed to stay in it and fight to come within striking distance of the Edmonton university. The Eagles would pull away late in the set and take a five-point lead into a timeout called by the Kodiaks. But Lethbridge College continued to fight and diminish a six-point lead down to just four which forced the Eagles to call a timeout. This late run was thanks to some great serving by middle Eryka Woods (Business Administration). The Kodiaks fought off one set -point but the Eagles avoided the late scare and would take the first set 25-23 after a kill error by Lethbridge College.
The Eagles would take the momentum of winning the opening set to jump out to a 9-4 lead before the Kodiaks called a timeout. Kings University really had everything working from their serving to their net presence as they increased their lead to 11 points before the Kodiaks called their final timeout of the set. Out of the timeout, Eagles right-side Brooke Risselada (Bachelor of Arts in Psychology) hit for her 11th kill of the match. TKU would take the second set 25-13 after a kill attempt by a Kodiaks outside-hitter went out of bounds.
With the match on the line, the Kodiaks started out the third set with a whole lot of energy and fight inside them as they looked to extend the match to a fourth set. After a couple of huge plays which included a block on the Eagles kill leader in the match, the Kodiaks jumped out to a 16-12 lead as went into a timeout called by TKU. Lethbridge College's middle Shawn Fowlie sent her team's bench and the crowd into a frenzy after a kill that landed in front of the attack line on the court. The Kodiaks would take the third set 25-19 after a kill by Woods in the middle.
The Eagles would come out of the gate fast and aggressively in the fourth set to take an early, commanding 7-1 lead. But like the Kodiaks have proven all match, they can battle with adversity and fight to stay in the set. Late in the set, the Eagles took a 19-14 lead into a timeout called by the Kodiaks. But Lethbridge College managed to fight back and tie it up at 21 which forced TKU to call a timeout. The Kodiaks would take the fourth set 25-23 and force a fifth game after a tip from Fowlie hit the floor for the set point.
At 3-3, the Kodiaks broke the deadlock and won what was a very long, enduring rally. But the Eagles shifted the momentum onto their side after taking a two-point lead late in the 15-point set. After a great couple of rallies following the break, the Kodiaks would go Up by two points on TKU.
Kodiaks Head Coach Anna Schwark explained her fifth-year outside-hitter Jamie Brown played one of the best matches of her season and career as she had 20 kills throughout the game which helped her team punch their ticket to the semi-finals.
The Eagles player of the match went to right-side Brooke Risselada who had 25 kills throughout the five sets. For the winning Kodiaks, middle Shane Fowlie was awarded this honour with an incredible 18 kills.
With the win, Lethbridge College moves on to the semi-finals tomorrow at 6 pm where they will face either the University of Alberta-Augustana Vikings or the Ambrose University Lions. TKU will play the loser of this match on the B side at 1 pm.