Axewomen Score Five Set Win Over REDS

(FREDERICTON, NB) Jenna Lake (Conception Bay South, NL) had 14 kills to lead the Acadia Axewomen in their come-from-behind 3-2 win over the UNB REDS on Sunday.

Lake was named Subway Play of the Game.

Acadia won with scores of 25-17, 21-25, 14-25, 26-24 and 15-10.

"Our team culture is everything to us and there is no doubt that we are gonna win a game, we just go into it, work together and everyone does their part," said Lake on her team's success.

Sydney Zakutney (Ottawa, ON) added 13 kills of her own and tied with teammate Rebecca Dorsey (Toronto, ON) for the team-high in digs with 22.

Bailey Lemieux (Fredericton, NB) had a game-high 15 kills and Katelyn Chapman (Indian Mountain, NB) had a game-high 29 digs for the REDS.

The Axewomen took an early lead in the first set, jumping out to a 9-4 edge.

The REDS would immediately push back, briefly taking a 13-12 lead.

However, Acadia would go on a strong 13-4 run in the back half to take the first set 25-17 and the 1-0 lead.

The two teams split the opening 10 points of the second set 5-5 before the REDS took five of the following six for a four-point lead 10-6.

The REDS would maintain that spread through the rest of the set to win it 25-21 and tie the game 1-1.

After Acadia forced them to a timeout by taking an 8-4 third set lead, the REDS answered in a big way with a 21-6 run to storm back and take a 2-1 lead with a 25-14 set win.

The fourth set was a back-and-forth battle, with the two teams finding themselves deadlocked at several different times.

With the score at 20-20, the REDS rattled off four straight points to bring the Axewomen to match point.

However, Acadia would put on an incredible display of resiliency and take six straight points to steal the set 26-24 and force a fifth.

"We were pushing the whole time, but I think in those last few points we kind of thought we had it a little too early," said Chapman. 

The Axewomen would carry that momentum into the final set and take five of the final seven points in the game for a 15-10 win in the set and the game 3-2.

Acadia finishes second in the AUS standings with a 10-5 record and will have a bye in the first round of the playoffs.

UNB finishes fourth at 8-6 and will face the Moncton Aigles Bleus in their first-round matchup, a one-game elimination contest, Thursday night at UNB.

RECAP BY: Jonathan James/for UNB Athletics

PHOTOS BY: James West/for UNB Athletics