Kings defeat the Huskies in a five-set thriller

Red Deer, January 13, 2024 - The Red Deer Polytechnic Kings need five sets but pull off the comeback and defeat the Keyano College Huskies on Saturday evening in Red Deer.

The Kings came out firing on all cylinders tonight against the Huskies as they jumped out to an early 8-3 lead. But the five-point lead was slowly diminished by some great serving and attacking by Keyano College to make it a one-point game in the very early stages of the match. After the Kings took an 18-16 lead following a Huskies service error, the visitors called a timeout. However, out of the short break, the Huskies were able to take a 24-23 lead into the Kings second timeout of the set. Ultimately, Keyano College took the first set 25-23 following an RDP killing error on the ensuing play.

It was yet another back-and-forth set between these two teams, who met up in last year's championship semi-final with the Kings sweeping the Huskies in straight sets to book RDP's ticket to the final. But tonight in the second set, Keyano College took a 16-14 lead into a Kings timeout. RDP was able to flip the switch and turn the tables out of the short break as they went on an 8-4 run. Out of a Huskies timeout, Keyano scored three consecutive points to make it a one-point match. On the following play, outside-hitter Carter Hills (Bachelor of Kinesiology) was able to wipe a kill off the Huskies block to take the set 25-23.

The Huskies were able to shake off the second set loss and were looking to take that very important 2-1 lead in the match. Keyano was able to force RDP to call the first timeout of the set following an ace by rookie Rafael Parada (Academic Foundations). After the Kings came back and made it close, the Huskies took the set 25-22 following an RDP killing error.

Down 2-1 in the match, the Kings put the third set loss aside and came out swinging as they jumped out to an 8-3 lead which forced the Huskies to call an early timeout. Later on in the set, after a service error by the Huskies put the Kings up 20-16, Keyano used their second and final timeout of the set. Following a service error by the Huskies, the Kings would force a fifth set with a 25-22 set victory in the fourth.

In the fifth set, the Kings jumped out to an 8-4 lead before the teams swapped sides and continued on with the match. Following a service error, the Kings would take the set 15-13 and defeat the Huskies in five sets.

The players of the match were awarded to Huskies outside-hitter Joao Cunha (Open Studies) and Kings outside-hitter Colby Nemeth (Bachelor of Commerce). Cunha led the match with 24 kills with Nemeth right behind him with 19.

Keyano will be back in action next week with the Huskies welcoming the Lakeland College Rustlers while the Kings will play host to the Rustlers tomorrow evening at 5 pm in Red Deer.

Players of the match: Joao Cunha (Huskies) and Colby Nemeth (Kings)