Tigers Blank REDS In Season Opener

REDS' setter Catherine Burns sets a pass for teammate Kristen Burns during Saturday's 3-0 loss at Dal. (PHOTO: Nick Pearce/for Dal Athletics)
REDS' setter Catherine Burns sets a pass for teammate Kristen Burns during Saturday's 3-0 loss at Dal. (PHOTO: Nick Pearce/for Dal Athletics)

(HALIFAX, NS) The Dalhousie Tigers beat the UNB REDS 3-0 (25-20, 25-17, 25, 17) in the Atlantic University Sport season opener for both teams, Saturday, in Halifax.

 

The opening set provided a lot of action as the Tigers surged to a commanding lead brought on by Myriam Arsenault (Dieppe, NB), Grace Calnan (Dartmouth, NS) and Julie Moore (Halifax, NS). 

 

Despite a huge kill from Catherine Burns (Fredericton, NB) that closed out a fantastic series of rallies for both teams, it was the Tigers that managed to secure an early 16-12 score at the technical timeout of the first set. 

 

Coming out of the timeout, Bailey Lemieux (Fredericton, NB) notched a block at the net that propelled her team into a scoring streak that saw the REDS tie the game 18-18. 

 

However, Moore put together some strong serves for Dal and sparked a fantastic rally that gave Calnan the opportunity to grab the final kill and close out the first set 25-20.

 

Victoria Turcot (Halifax, NS) and Calnan came out strong in the second set and again helped Dal secure a lead at the technical timeout, up 16-13. 

 

Emma Burns (Fredericton, NB) and Kristen Burns (Mississauga, ON) scored big points for the REDS throughout the entire second set, but it was Sarah Dawe (Mount Pearl, NL) that served a crucial Dalhousie ace at 21-15. The Tigers then stormed through the rest of the second set and won it 25-16. 

 

To begin the third set, Calnan went off for three aces and a total of ten unanswered team points during a scoring outburst that earned Dalhousie a 16-10 lead at the technical timeout. 

 

Moore then took over in the later stages of the game with four Dal kills and an ace. The Tigers won the third and final set 25-17 to take the match 3-0.

 

Julie Moore recorded 12 kills, 18 digs, two aces and two blocks for Dalhousie, while Kristen Burns had 12 kills and nine digs for UNB. 

 

The Tigers Sydney Thompson (North York, ON) was the Subway Player of the Game. 

 

The Tigers and REDS meet again Sunday, in Halifax. Game time is 2:00pm.

 

RECAP BY: Daniel Simpkin/for Dal Athletics

PHOTOS BY: Nick Pearce/for Dal Athletics