CAMROSE, Alta. - In front of a sold-out crowd, the Lakeland Rustler took the University of Alberta - Augustana Vikings to school, 3-0 (25-15, 25-17, 25-17), securing another gold medal at the ACAC Women's Volleyball Championship, Saturday evening at Augustana Gym.
Claiming their third consecutive ACAC Championship title and fourth consecutive conference medal, the Rustlers veteran squad showed why they are the No. 1 team in the Canadian Collegiate Athletics Association and will look the claim their third consecutive national title in two weeks.
"Every piece we have can contribute," said Rustlers head coach Austin Dyer as he described what made his side so special. "Having weapons in every zone at all times allows us to exploit everywhere across the net. We have the right group who believes and cares about each other, which is the most important part."
With little collective ACAC experience, a young Vikings squad fought valiantly to take home just their second ACAC medal in team history, their first being a silver medal against the Rustlers in 2023.
Leading the way as she did all year, Avery Bates capped off the conference season with 10 kills, five digs and three aces for the Rustlers. Defensive specialist Racquel Lussier was solid on the court with 12 digs for the Vikings side.
With Ashley Lockwood from The King's Eagles and Lauren Junck from the RDP Queens being named tournament all-stars earlier in the day, Vikings captain and setter Phaedra Bruens, libero Lussier, Rustler outside hitters Lana Matthews and Raegan Nicol would close out the honours. Bates would then be named the tournament's most valuable player.
Coming up against an older squad with a core group, the Vikings fell behind early, before Tamara Mathison's tip over the wall brought the young rookies within one, 13-14. Moments later, the Rustlers would once again show rear their maturity on the court, eventually taking the opening set, 25-15.
A shaken Vikings team would fall struggle as the Rustlers took control again in the second set, jumping to a 10-2 lead with no sign of slowing down. Even with a five-point push from a youthful group, the Rustler's composure showed, closing out the set, 25-17
25 points from another championship, the Rustlers dip nearly proved to be costly as the red and white went on a seven-point unanswered run to start. It would be ACAC North Player of the Year, Bates who would settle her teammates going on a service run, stunning the Vikings to draw the game closer, 9-6.
Slowly applying pressure to the pedal, the masters would pull ahead with the mentum, claiming the set, match, title, and ACAC dynasty.
"Everything was about how we have to win the whole thing, get back to the ACAC Final, National Final, we have to do what we did the last two years," added Dyer when speaking about his words to the team after the final whistle. "But we have to make sure we enjoy it. Every day we step in the gym we take the time to understand how special our group is. You have to be sure to get all the pictures, thank all the people that have been involved in everything you do, to appreciate and understand how special all of this is."
Not done yet, both teams will travel east to Oshawa, Ontario as Durham College plays host to Canada's best for the 2025 CCAA Women's Volleyball National Championship from March 5-8.