Rattlers and Broncos Battle in tight contest
The Olds College Broncos headed into Medicine Hat to take on the Rattlers. The Rattlers looked to their home court to break through for their season's first win, although they had found little success here so far in the season. The Broncos were able to come out in the first set and open up a 5 point lead in the middle of the set. The Rattlers started to chip away late but remained down 23-18 late in the set. Converting on the side out, the Rattlers were closer but an unforced error gave the Broncos a chance to side out for the set. Unable to convert the first attempt the rattlers held on to life but a net call saw them ultimately fall 25-21 at the end of the first set.
The Rattlers came out firing in the second set opening a quick 5-2 lead before adding another quick point. Rattler Rookie Brady Burkitt had a huge sequence recording 2 kills and a stuff block in 3 plays forcing the Broncos to take a timeout. The Rattlers came out of the break and expanded their lead on the back of some great net defence. Down 10-4 the Broncos were able to get a side out and narrow the Rattler lead to 5. Another 3 wins on long rallies and the Broncos had cut the Rattler lead to 10-8 forcing the home side to take a timeout. A mistake from the Rattlers coming out of the break saw the Broncos cut the lead to 1 before another long rally went their way and they tied the set at 10. The score continued to climb as the teams traded side outs. The first advantage was on a rattler error giving Olds a 2 point lead, this was quickly evaporated with a side out. Another quick pair of side outs saw the Broncos hold a 20-18 lead entering the late stages of the set. Another hold of service and the Broncos found themselves up 21-18 and the Rattlers forced to take a timeout. The Rattlers needed a late set comeback and chipped away quickly to get the score to 21-22 before a missed serve kept the Bronco lead at 2. The Rattlers scored 2 straight quickly to knot the set at 23. With another Rattler point the Broncos were forced to take a timeout as the Rattlers served for the set. The Rattlers were able to win the next point and take a 25-23 set win.
The Third set started with a weird moment with the wrong server for Medicine Hat delivering the second serve. After a brief meeting and the correct call, the teams got back to trading side-outs and points. The Broncos were able to create a small lead, going up 10-7 as the set moved into the middle part of the set. Olds College was relying heavily on the offence from Matheus Franca and were able to feed him in order to increase their lead to 4, up 12-8. This forced the Rattlers to take their first timeout early in the set. The Rattlers continued to struggle with unforced errors through the middle of the set and the Broncos built their lead to 17-11 and forced the Rattlers to burn their second timeout. The Rattlers scored 2 coming out of the break and were not able to keep the momentum on their side and continued to trail as the guests neared 20. Attacking errors were the Rattlers undoing as they struggled to convert on second chance points giving the Broncos an edge. The Rattlers caught some energy late and were able to string 3 points together, but the Broncos continued to convert when they needed and pulled ahead once again late up 24-18. Olds College was able to finish it off 25-18 and take a 2-1 set lead.
The third set started with the Rattlers opening up a 3 point lead to start the set. The Broncos slowly tried to chip away through the first part of the set, but side-outs were the name of the game. The Rattlers scored 2 points that frustrated the Broncos bench followed by a huge block saw the home side go up 13-9 and forcing the visitors to take a timeout. The Rattlers won a huge point on a long rally to clutch their share of the momentum and cause a fan eruption in the gym. From here the Teams traded side-outs briefly before the Rattlers expanded the lead to 6, 16-10. Olds however, would not quit. They responded with a huge kill but an immediate service error gave the ball back to Medicine Hat. After a few more points the Rattlers were up 18-12 forcing the Broncos to take a timeout. Olds was able to make a quick side-out coming out of the break. Another quick point on a rattler error saw the Home side's lead reduced to 3, forcing them to take a timeout. A missed call on the floor saw the Broncos able to come back and tie the set at 19. The Broncos took an advantage going up 22-21 late in the set. The Broncos scored again but the Rattlers responded with a huge block to tie the set at 23. Olds won the next point with a chance to serve for the match, only needing one chance the Broncos won the final set 25-23.