Skip to navigation Skip to content Skip to footer
Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference "To be Canada's premiere collegiate athletic conference by developing and inspiring leadership through excellence in academics, sport and citizenship"
Posted: Feb 22, 2024

Rustlers sweep Kodiaks in opening round

Rustlers sweep Kodiaks in opening round
Video Box Score
Game Leaders
LAKE
K: Avery Bates - 12
B: 2 Players (#5, #13) - 1
D: 2 Players (#4, #8) - 10
SA: Avery Bates - 5
LETH
K: Shane Fowlie - 7
B: 2 Players (#6, #8) - 2
D: Abby Sauder - 12
SA: 2 Players (#2, #13) - 1
Team Stats
Full stats

February 22, 2024 – The Lakeland Rustlers looked like the defending national champions they are in sweeping the host Lethbridge College Kodiaks 3-0 in opening-round play Thursday night at the ACAC women's volleyball championships.

The Rustlers pulled away from a scrappy Kodiak squad to win the first set 25-17, then had to battle back from early deficits in the next two sets before winning 25-13 and 25-14.

"I thought Lethbridge did a phenomenal job of serving," said Lakeland head coach Austin Dyer. "They didn't miss very many. They served absolute bullets the whole game. That's the way to force the issue and get the other team out of their system. Our experience came through for us. We stayed calm, didn't get upset, and worked to win each rally."

The Rustlers returned all but two players from last year's championship roster, including the entire starting lineup, and Dyer says repeating as champions was certainly one of the team's long-term goals coming into this season.

That said, another focus this season was to enjoy the process, Dyer added. "Our emphasis was to enjoy every piece of the season, not just focus on the end point and the outcome."

Dyer praised the play of outside hitter Lana Matthews (fourth year, Business Administration), who was named Lakeland's Player of the Game, and fellow outside hitter Avery Bates (third year, Bachelor of Education), who "was pretty much untouchable. She's really come into her own this season. She's playing at a very high level and had a really big night for us."

Bates led the Rustlers with 12 kills while adding five digs and 22 total attempts. Matthews had eight kills along with 25 total attempts.

Kodiaks Player of the Game Shane Fowlie (third year, General Studies) led her squad with seven kills while Aideena Wickstrom (fourth year, Exercise Science) chipped in with six. Abby Sauder (third year, Nursing Bachelors Degree) paced Lethbridge with 12 digs.

Lakeland topped the North division with an 18-1 record, closing the season on a 15-match win streak. Lethbridge also finished strong, winning their final six matches to claim fourth place in the South with an 8-11 mark.

 

Players of the Game|

Rustlers|#8 Lana Matthews

Kodiaks|#8 Shane Fowlie