By Scott Roblin

Rattlers crowned by Red Deer College in four set matches

Nov 4, 2018 | 10:08 AM

RED DEER, AB – The dam finally broke for the Medicine Hat College Rattlers men’s volleyball team, seeing their undefeated record go up in smoke against the Red Deer College Kings.

On Saturday, the Rattlers struggled to contain Kings attacker Regan Fathers and dropped their first game of the season in four sets (23-25, 25-16, 25-19, 25-14).

Both sides began the first set trading chances with the score tied at 10-10 at one point, but the Rattlers were able to convert on a handful of kills late to take the opening set 25-23.

That would be the highlight for the team however, as the Rattlers saw an early lead in the second set vanish en-route to a 25-16 loss in the second set.

Red Deer continued to run off momentum in the third set to grow their lead to four points midway through the game, using a number of big blocks to earn a 25-19 victory.

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Unlike Friday night, the Rattlers weren’t able to overcome a 2-1 set deficit as Fathers continued his dominance in the fourth set to help the Kings to a four-set victory on Saturday.

Dexter Mackie was named Medicine Hat’s player of the game with a stat line of 10 kills, while Fathers had 37 kills on the afternoon, one short of the entire Rattlers roster.

Seeing their previously undefeated record slip to 5-1 on the season, putting the Rattlers two points ahead of Lethbridge College for second place in the South Division.

An almost identical result occurred for Medicine Hat in the early game as well, with the Rattlers women’s team also dropping a four-set decision (25-23, 14-25, 25-20, 25-19) to Red Deer.

Trying to avenge a three-set loss on Friday, the Rattlers pressed the Queens hard over the opening 10 minutes with both sides knotted up at 10-10 in the first set.

But from there, Red Deer would go on a 6-2 run to take control of the set and eventually squeak out a 25-23 victory.

Medicine Hat had more of an impact in the second set with fewer errors and 13 kills, trying up the match at a set apiece with a dominant 25-14 win.

That’s as close as the Rattlers would come to tasting victory on Saturday however, as the Queens outplayed Medicine Hat at the net and took the following two sets handily to take the match.

Defensive veteran Shaya Suchy took home player of the game honours for the Rattlers with 17 digs and two assists, while Medicine Hat’s attack was led by double-digit kills from Janelle Neyron, Brooke Christie, and Amber Stigter.

Dropping both of their games over the weekend to the Queens, the 3-3 Rattlers squad currently holds the final playoff spot in the South Division with six points.

The Rattlers volleyball teams will look to bounce back with a pair of rare mid-week games on Thursday, as they kick off home-and-home series at the ‘Snake Pit’ against the Lethbridge College Kodiaks.