Photo courtesy of Medicine Hat College Rattlers

By Scott Roblin

Season Underway

Rattlers basketball, volleyball teams off and running for 2019-20 season

Oct 20, 2019 | 6:49 PM

CALGARY, AB – After an up and down 2018-19 campaign, the Medicine Hat College Rattlers men’s basketball team got their new season off on the right foot.

Opening their 2019-20 season in Calgary on Saturday night, the Rattlers men’s squad (1-0) took down the host St. Mary’s University Lightning 76-68 for their first victory of the season.

Leading 33-26 at the half, the Rattlers took over in the third quarter with 29 of their 76 points coming out of the break.

Like he did so many times last year, Kieron Burgess was the difference at both ends of the floor with 24 points and 17 rebounds, while sophomore Arthur Rosa also chipped in with 21 points and 12 rebounds.

Zavier Croft also had a big night off the bench for MHC, going 6-for-9 from the field and leading all reserves with 13 points.

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The same couldn’t be said for the Rattlers women’s basketball team (0-1) however, as they were crushed 72-45 by St. Mary’s in their season opener.

Veterans Kate Rozdeba and Paige Cooper were the only Rattlers to reach double-digits in points, while Rozdeba led the visitors defensively with nine rebounds.

Medicine Hat only shot 30.3 percent from the floor in Saturday’s loss, including a combined 0-for-9 from the Rattlers’ bench.

The Rattlers will play their first home games of the regular season on Friday night, facing off against the Lethbridge College Kodiaks with the women taking to the court at 6:00 pm and the men following at 8:00 pm.

First serve

Volleyball season has arrived at MHC as well, as the Rattlers men’s and women’s teams completed home-and-home series with Ambrose University over the weekend.

The Rattlers men’s volleyball squad (1-1) was dominant in their season opener on Friday night at the ‘Snake Pit’ with a straight sets (25-20, 25-22, 25-17) victory over the Lions.

Second-year offensive threat KeAndre Evans contributed 10 of MHC’s 30 kills on the evening, while also tying Nikola Sreckovic for the team lead in digs with five each.

Ambrose got their revenge one night later however, taking the first two sets of the rematch to roll to a four-set (25-18, 25-21, 19-25, 25-20) win over the Rattlers.

Jovan Stepanovic was named player of the game in the loss for the Rattlers, earning 14 kills, two aces, and seven digs for the visitors.

Splitting their first two games of the season, the boys in black and yellow are in a three-way tie for second place in the ACAC South Division.

Two marathon games on the women’s side were played between MHC and Ambrose, however the Rattlers are still waiting on their first victory of the year.

In their season opener Friday, the Rattlers lost a five-set thriller (24-26, 25-18, 18-25, 25-18, 15-9) to the Lions after going up 2-1 after the first three sets.

Fifth-year senior Amber Stigter was a force in the loss for Medicine Hat with 19 kills and 20 digs, both game highs.

A similar script was written in Saturday’s rematch in Calgary, as the Rattlers jumped out to a 2-1 lead but lost in five (25-13, 23-25, 19-25, 25-22, 15-12) to the Lions.

Stigter once again led the Rattlers with 15 kills and 19 digs, however Karley Dieken (10 kills) and Shaya Suchy (19 digs) also made their marks in defeat.

Beginning the season with a 0-2 record, the Rattlers ladies will hit the road looking for their first victory.

They’ll open up their weekend on Friday at Briercrest College at 6:00 pm, with their game followed by the men’s team at 8:00 pm.