Huskies splits final day of Interlock games

(Halifax, NS)—The Saint Mary's Huskies split their two AUS-Quebec Interlock games Sunday at the Homburg Centre, defeating the UQAM Citadins 3-2 (25-22, 27-25, 16-25, 18-25, 15-8) and the CIS No. 4 Montreal Carabins won 3-1 (23-25, 25-14, 25-17, 25-16).

Erica Dowling (Lower Sackville, NS) led SMU in kills (13) and digs (18) while teammate Maddie Clarke (Ottawa, ON) also chipped in double-digits kills (12).

Montreal natives Josiane Aubuchon and Elisabeth Valle led UQAM with 14 and eight kills respectively. 

Saint Mary's opened up a deciding fifth set with a three-point run, jumping ahead 4-1.

A 2-1 Citadins run had the Huskies leading 5-3 when SMU's 4-1 run increased their lead 9-4.

Another run by UQAM saw the Citadins claw back to within three points 10-7.

Both teams treaded quick points when SMU won the set and match on a four-point run, 15-8.

Each team had 12 kills in the first set which SMU won 25-22.

UQAM held a slight 13-12 kill advantage in the second set yet lost the set to SMU 27-25.

The Citadins won the next two sets (25-16 and 25-18) to force a fifth set.

The Huskies had a match advantage in kills (51-48) and UQAM had two more digs on the day (76-74).

Game two saw the CIS No. 4 Montreal Carabins defeat SMU 3-1 (23-35, 25-14, 25-17, 25-16).

SMU jumped out to a 7-5 lead when Montreal used a three-point run to take their first lead 8-7.

A Huskie three-point run saw SMU re-take the lead 10-8 when Montreal drew even on a two-point run 10-10.

Two quick Saint Mary's points saw Montreal follow up with four straight for a 14-12 Carabin lead.

A six-point run had the Huskies out in front 18-14 and a 3-1 run increased their lead 21-15.

Montreal trimmed the SMU lead to 23-18 on a 3-2 run and the Carabin used a four-point run to trail SMU by one, 23-22.

Both teams traded points down the stretch and a Montreal service error was the final point for SMU in the set, 25-23.

Montreal won the next three sets (25-14, 25-17, 25-16).

Saint Mary's returns to action 6 pm January 15^th, 2016 at Dalhousie.