Tigers Blank Reds

(FREDERICTON, NB) The U SPORTS No. 3 ranked Dalhousie Tigers completed a weekend sweep of the UNB Reds on Saturday afternoon.

The Tigers scored a 3-0 win with scores of 25-10, 25-18 and 25-16.

"We came out with a bit of a different game plan," said Tigers outside hitter Julie Moore (Halifax, NS). "Definitely, we tried to be stronger on serve receive and I think that we accomplished that."

Moore led the Tigers with 11 kills and added 14 digs, earning Subway Player of the Game honours.

Kristen Bartmann (Uxbridge, ON) had a match-high 17 digs for Dal, while Courtney Baker (Bridgewater, NS) recorded 27 assists.

Paige Lehto (North Vancouver, BC) led the Reds with 17 assists, while first-year libero Katelyn Chapman (Indian Settlement, NB) had 13 digs and Kristen Burns (Mississauga, ON) had six kills.

The Tigers took control early, building a 9-4 first set lead.

Dal extended the lead to 14-6 and the Tigers were up 16-7 at the technical time-out.

Dal maintained control on route to winning the opening set 25-10.

The Reds responded early in the second, building a 2-0 lead before the Tigers rallied to go in front 8-3.

Later, the Tigers won a long 20-plus touch rally to make it 13-8, but the Reds bounced right back, scoring the next two points. UNB then pulled to within a point, down 14-15.

The Tigers led 16-14 at the technical time-out.

The Reds pushed back in the latter stages of the set, but Dal would win 25-18 to extend their lead to two-sets-to-none.

In the third set, Dal was up 16-11 at the time-out and the Tigers immediately pushed that lead to 18-11, forcing Reds head coach Christine Biggs to call another time-out.

Bailey Lemieux (Fredericton, NB) subbed in and made a block and a kill on consecutive plays to pull the Reds to within seven, down 16-23, but Dal would pull away and win 25-16.

"We had adversity this weekend, so I think it was a good opportunity for us to try and find new solutions," said Coach Biggs. "We need to do a better job managing the ball. When we get into rallies and we're patient, we give ourselves an opportunity to win every point, but when we're impatient, it doesn't usually go our way."

With the win, Dal improves to 4-and-0 and remains atop the AUS standings.

"It's a nice feeling, but we know every team is coming for us and we want to work really hard in practice to keep our record," said Moore.

The Reds are now 2-and-2.

"It doesn't matter who we're playing, we're always learning on the job," said Biggs. "The opponent doesn't matter to us, it's the process, when we're in the gym and working to get better each day in practice and games."

Up next for the Tigers, a Friday home game against the Saint Mary's Huskies.

The Reds are on the road next weekend, for games Friday and Saturday at Acadia.

RECAP BY: Andy Campbell/UNB Athletics

PHOTOS BY: James West/for UNB Athletics