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Axewomen defeat Huskies for first AUS title in program history
Posted: Mar 05, 2024

Axewomen defeat Huskies for first AUS title in program history

Tickets Photos Video Box Score
Game Leaders
Saint Mary's
K: Olivia Bell - 11
B: Alena Piatukhova - 2
D: Morgan Hoskins - 17
SA: Madison Hann - 2
Acadia
K: Jenna Lake - 17
B: Alexia Lemay-Evans - 6
D: Rebecca Dorsey - 16
SA: Alexia Lemay-Evans - 2
Team Stats
Full stats

WOLFVILLE, NS – The Acadia Axewomen won their first Atlantic University Sport women's volleyball championship in program history, defeating the Saint Mary's Huskies in three sets (25-18, 27-25, 20-18) in game three of the AUS final, Tuesday night at Stu Aberdeen Court in Wolfville, NS.

The sold-out home crowd of the Axewomen seemed to give them a boost in the opening moments, as they opened up an early 10-3 lead. But the resilient Huskies were able to fight back, with some great digs from libero Morgan Hoskins (Bishop's Falls, NL) and setter Taylor Lougheed (Calgary, AB) helping to cut the lead to 15-10.

League MVP Olivia Bell (LaHave Islands, NS) started to heat up as the set went on, recording three kills to lead Saint Mary's. But the early Acadia lead proved too large to overcome, as the Axewomen took the first set 25-18, with outsider hitter Jenna Lake (Conception Bay South, NL) recording six kills to lead the home team.

No stranger to comebacks against the Axewomen, Saint Mary's started the second set strong, with back-to-back aces from middle Madison Hann (Conqueral Mills, NS) opening up an early 3-1 lead. But Acadia came storming back, with a four-point run off the service of Alexia Lemay-Evans (Azilda, ON) putting the home team in front 9-8.

After Acadia opened up a 16-12 lead, the Huskies were able to fight back with back-to-back kills from Bell and service aces from Megan Bruhm (Hubley, NS) and Emilia Mikanovich (Minsk, Belarus) and take a 20-17 lead. The two teams traded points for the remainder of the set, but the Axewomen were able to pull it out 27-25 to take a commanding two set to none lead.

With Saint Mary's looking to keep their championship hopes alive, a five-point Bell service run, buoyed by a pair of kills from Bruhm and Mikanovich put them ahead 9-5 and forced an Acadia timeout.

The Axewomen fought back with a couple kills courtesy Jenna Lake, but a service ace from Alena Piatukhova (Minsk, Belarus) helped restore the Huskies lead at 15-14. Another ace from Bell put the Huskies up 18-17, but a huge block from Lemay-Evans tied it up again at 18, and back-to-back Lake kills gave Acadia the lead 20-18. A Piatukhova kill cut the lead to 20-19, but Acadia won four of the next five points to force match point. With the Huskies backs against the wall, Lougheed and Piatukhova closed the block to cut the deficit to 24-22. But a Jenna Lake kill gave the Axewomen the 25-22 set win, and clinched the first AUS Championship in program history.

The Axewomen were led by a match-high 18 points, including 17 kills from AUS Playoffs Most Valuable Player Jenna Lake, while setter Charlotte Dean dished out 30 assists, libero Rebecca Dorsey recorded 16 digs and middle Erica Fisher was dominant at the net with five total blocks and 8.5 points.

The Huskies were led by Olivia Bell, who led the team in points (12.5), kills (11) and digs (12). Alena Piatukhova chipped in 8.5 points, including six kills and two total blocks, and setter Taylor Lougheed was named Player of the Match for Saint Mary's with 23 assists.

Both the Huskies and the Axewomen will be competing at the U SPORTS National Championships, which will be played March 15-17 at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. Stay tuned to SMUHuskies.ca for scheduling updates.

Recap by Allan April / Saint Mary's Huskies Athletics
Photos by Peter Oleskevich / Acadia Athletics