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HomeSportsLosing evening for Dal volleyball

Losing evening for Dal volleyball

By Natasha White, Staff Contributor


Volleyball action last weekend saw the Tiger women’s 2010/11 season start with a disappointing 3–2 loss to Halifax rivals Saint Mary’s.

After losing the first set, Dalhousie fought back to win a tough second, 27–25. The advantage went back to SMU after the third, finding themselves up two sets to one.

The stands at Dalplex were packed, and the atmosphere was tense. Fans stomped their feet and screamed “This is our house.”

Dal setter Hilary Sears had a tough night, making some poor dumping decisions that would give SMU more than one free ball.

Husky Kerri Smit schooled the Tigers in the fourth, helping SMU go on an 11–1 run. But timely kills by Tiger Kirstie Shepherd and two great digs by Raeesa Lalani helped Dal pull out a nail-biter fourth, 28–26.

The fifth and final set wasn’t pretty. SMU built up a 10–3 lead. Add a couple more kills from Smit, some side-outs, and the two hour and 45 minute match would end with St. Mary’s taking the deciding set 15–6.

 

Spartans too much for Tigers

In men’s exhibition action last Friday night, the Tigers hosted the travelling Trinity Western Spartans, losing in straight sets to the solid Canada West team.

Dal looked pumped to get things going, but nerves would be the first to shine. Veteran outside hitter Sander Ratsep shanked his first kill attempt of the season wide. His next smash was forcibly denied by a huge block from the Spartan front wall. More jitters for Dal saw two serves dumped into the net.

With the opening set tied at 22, Dal would win the match’s first big rally thanks to strong play by Tiger Dan Bremner. Sadly, another down-and-in block off a Ratsep smash gave the Spartans the edge and a first set win, 25–22.

Ratsep would find his touch and the open floor in the second set, adding some much needed points and confidence to the Tiger line-up. Despite some vicious serves by Bremner, the Spartans remained unfazed and took the second set. Deft tips past Dal blockers and nasty kills kept Trinity Western’s tight grip on the match.

The real story of the evening was the Spartan blockers who controlled the net all night long. Tigers Daniel You and Aaron Binstock managed to get a few past the Spartan wall, but not enough. The Tigers would fall again in the third, resulting in a 3–0 sweep by Trinity Western.

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