NAIT Beat Clippers in Five

The NAIT Ooks hosted the Briercrest Clippers on Thursday night in Edmonton. Both teams braved the cold and battled hard for their first ACAC games of 2024.

Both teams struggled to settle into the game with service errors affecting both teams early in the match. Four kills from the Ook's Shae McIntyre eventually got the Ooks firing. On the other side of the net, Karym Coleman was delivering for the Clippers. Both teams continued to trade points throughout the set until a series of three consecutive points by the Clippers forced the Ooks to call time out. Serving ace by Jeremy Martens gave the Clippers a late lead in the set. Another ace by TJ Ward gave the Clippers the point needed to secure the first set.

The final score was 25-20 for the Clippers.

The second set saw the NAIT Ooks off to an early lead led by McIntyre who once again provided offensive kills. Two receiving errors eventually caused the Clippers to take an early time out. Coming out of the break Briercrest still struggled to find their rhythm. A kill from Clippers' Coleman almost spurred a come back, but Josh Watson from NAIT retaliated with a quick kill of his own. NAIT was also hustling on the defensive end, with setter Mason Gorski laying out on multiple plays in the set. Despite trailing, the Clippers continued to push. Serves from the Ook's Emmet Neuls eventually led to an Ooks win. 

The final score was 25-18 for the Ooks.

At the start of the third set both teams went point for point, each laying out to keep the set within 1 point. Kills from Ross Bishop helped push the Ooks slightly ahead. But the Clippers' Adam Revet immediately matched him and pulled the Clippers even at the halfway point of the set. Pressure from Ooks led to a Clippers time out at 17-15. Despite the change in pace, big kills from the Ook's Bishop and Waston called for another Clippers timeout.

The Ooks won the set 25-20.

The fourth set was more of the same, with both teams staying with 2 points of the other. The Ooks saw great kills from Watson and Bishop that eventually pulled the Ooks away for their largest lead of the set. This lead caused the Clippers to take an early time out which worked in their favor as they cut the Ooks lead in half. Shortly after the Ooks also called a time out, hoping to regain the momentum. Powerful serves from the Clippers' Jeremy Martens pushed the Clippers ahead for the first time in the set. Additional unforced errors from the Ooks allowed the Clippers to pull ahead to 21-19.

The Clippers won the set 25-20.

The fifth and final set of the game was another point of point battle. Both teams struggled to pull a run of points together with services aces affecting both sides. Every point of the set was a battle with each team laying out. The NAIT Ooks eventually pulled ahead and won the set and the game.

Players of the Game:
Briercrest Clippers | # 17 Adam Revet

NAIT Ooks | #8 Jarod Roberts