Huskies over UdeM in five sets to capture third place

(Halifax, N.S.)—The Saint Mary's Huskies women's volleyball team defeated the Université de Moncton Aigles Bleus in five sets on Saturday afternoon, 18-25, 21-25, 25-18, 15-11 in the 3^rd place game of the 2017 Subway AUS Women's Volleyball Championship.

Moncton led 9-8 early in the opening set when the Aigles Bleus' 7-0 run help built a 16-8 cushion. A 7-2 SMU run had the Huskies within three, 18-15. Moncton closed out the set on a 7-3 spurt and took the set 25-18.

Leading 11-10 in the second set, the Aigles Bleus used an 8-2 run to increase their lead to 19-12 as SMU used a 5-1 run themselves and trailed Moncton 20-17 late in the set. Moncton used a 5-4 run down the stretch to win the set 25-21.

The third set saw both teams tied 10-10 when a 4-0 SMU run put the Huskies in front 14-10 as both teams traded the next eight points and SMU held a four-point lead, 18-14. A 4-1 Moncton run saw the Aigles Bleus trailing SMU 18-19. SMU would close out the set 25-18 on a 6-0 run.

Tied 10-10 in the fourth set, Moncton's 3-0 run put the Aigles Bleus up 13-10 and their three-point cushion was their biggest lead of the set. SMU tied the fourth-set up at 15-15 and both teams remained tied at 18-18. A 2-0 SMU run had the Huskies up 20-18 before closing out the set 25-20 on a 5-2 spurt.

Moncton led 8-7 after the technical time-out in the fifth set when SMU used a 4-0 run to take a 11-8 lead. Moncton clawed back with a 3-0 run to tie the set 11-11. Another 4-0 SMU run closed out the set 15-11 and the Huskies took the match 3-2 (18-25, 21-25, 25-18, 25-20, 15-11).

Pascale Doiron (Caraquet, N.B.) led Moncton and all hitters in kills (16), digs (16) and total attacks (47) in the loss. Émilie Landry (McLeod Hill, N.B.) and Rachelle Lemoine (St-Boniface, Man.) also added 10 kills apiece for the Aigles Bleus.

Shelby Charlton (Strathroy, Ont.) paced Saint Mary's in kills (15) and total points (18.0) while Erin Smith (Moncton, N.B.) added 10 kills for SMU and teammates Erica Dowling (Lower Sackville, N.S.) added nine and Maddie Clarke (Ottawa, Ont.) eight in the win.

Subway Players of the Game:  SMU Shelby Charlton, UdeM Rachelle Lemoine.

Dominic Nolasco, SMU Communications

Photo Carter Hutton