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ACAC Volleyball

Rattlers volleyball teams close out first semester at Olds College

Nov 24, 2019 | 1:39 PM

OLDS, AB – Heading into the weekend, the Medicine Hat College Rattlers women’s volleyball team had a goal of ending the first semester with a .500 record.

Leaving Olds College they did just that, closing out 2019 with a pair of victories over the Broncos including a straight sets (26-24, 25-22, 25-22) win on Saturday.

Fifth-year outside hitter Amber Stigter once again took player of the game honours for the Rattlers by posting a game-high 11 kills, followed by 10 kills from Brooke Christie.

ACAC all-time digs leader Shaya Suchy had 25 digs in the three-set victory for MHC, while Tamara Barth also had a strong game with 12 digs herself.

Saturday’s victory capped off a perfect weekend for the Rattlers ladies with Christie (12 kills, 13 digs) and Stigter (11 kills, 18 digs) leading the way on Friday night in a four-set (25-20, 21-25, 25-22, 25-16) tilt against the Broncos.

After losing their first four games of the season, the Rattlers women’s squad rolled through November with a 6-2 record and sit fourth in the ACAC South Division with 12 points.

MHC’s rolling men’s team meanwhile almost capped off 2019 with a three-game win streak on Saturday, however they fell in a five set thriller (20-25, 25-22, 25-23, 31-33, 16-14) to Olds College in their final game of first semester.

Facing elimination in the fourth set, the Rattlers battled to stay alive with a 33-31 victory before Olds edged past the visitors in the deciding fifth set to take the match.

Sophomore KeAndre Evans starred again with 22 kills, 13 digs and four service aces, though player of the game honours went to Aleksa Zivic with 13 kills and 15 digs.

Saturday’s loss snapped a two-game win streak for the improving Rattlers, with MHC picking up a straight sets (26-24, 26-24, 25-21) victory over Olds College on Friday evening.

Playing with a shortened bench of just eight players, the Rattlers dominated the Broncos with 14 kills and 10 digs courtesy of Zivic.

The 3-9 Rattlers men’s team will have some work to do in second semester, trailing the Briercrest Clippers by six points for the final playoff spot in the south.

Both Rattlers volleyball squads will break for exams and the holidays before returning to the court on January 10 to open a weekend home stand against the Broncos.

As for the MHC basketball program, they will wrap up their first half of the ACAC season this upcoming weekend with home games on Friday at 6:00 and 8:00 pm against Red Deer College and Saturday evening versus Olds College.