Axewomen fight back for 3-2 win over Memorial

(FREDERICTON, NB) The Acadia Axewomen had to fight from two sets down to beat the Memorial Sea-Hawks 3-2 on day two of the Atlantic University Sport league tournament, in Fredericton. 

Acadia won with scores of 24-26, 22-25, 25-19, 25-21, and 15-8. 

"I never doubted us," said Axewomen libero Becky Dorsey (Toronto, ON). "I thought we were playing consistently throughout the game. We have a good mentality and a lot of leaders on the court. I was never worried." 

Dorsey led Acadia with 19 digs in the win and was named the Subway Player of the Game. 

"It was a stressful one, for sure, but I'm glad to have gone through it and glad we won." 

In the opening set, the Axewomen built an early 7-2 lead which prompted an early Sea-Hawks time-out. 

Down 10-4, Sea-Hawks coach John Slauenwhite took another time-out. 

At the technical time-out, Acadia was up 16-6. 

But the Hawks roared to life in the latter stages of the set, tying the score 23-23, taking a 25-24 lead, and then winning the set 26-24. 

In the second set, Acadia once again established an early lead, going up 7-4 before the Sea-Hawks tied it 7-7. 

The score was tied 12-12, 13-13, and 14-14. 

At the technical time-out, the Hawks were up 16-14 and added three more after the break to go up 19-14. That triggered an Acadia time-out. 

But the Memorial momentum kept building, and the Sea-Hawks went up 23-17. 

Acadia made it close, but the Sea-Hawks took a 2-0 lead with a 25-22 win. 

The Axewomen came to life in the third, building a 9-4 lead. 

They led 16-12 at the technical time-out. 

The Sea-Hawks tried to rally, but Acadia's blocking was superb, and the Axewomen won the set 25-19. 

In the fourth, the Sea-Hawks went up 6-4, only to watch Acadia erase the deficit and build a 10-7 lead. 

The Axewomen led 16-8 at the technical time-out. 

The Sea-Hawks closed the gap to five, at 20-15, forcing an Acadia time-out, but they held on and won the fourth set 25-21. 

Acadia raced out to a 5-1 lead in the fifth set, leading to a Memorial time-out. 

The Axewomen pushed the lead to 8-1, and never looked back, winning the deciding set 15-8. 

"They just started reading us better, and we didn't really respond," said Memorial's Kaitlyn Kuchinka (Edmonton, AB). "It's obviously very frustrating. It would've been really good to get a win. I think we have to hold on to the fact that we can play with anybody and we still have a long season ahead of us." 

Lucy Glen-Carter (Toronto, ON) had a match-high 17 kills for the Axewomen, and Sydney Zakutney (Ottawa, ON) recorded 43 assists. 

Katie Wagar (Halifax, NS) had a match-high 33 digs for the Sea-Hawks, and Erica Rafuse (Kingston, NS) logged 30 assists. 

The Sea-Hawks, now 0-and-8, wrap up the league tournament on Sunday morning when they face Moncton. Game time is 11:00am (Atlantic Time). 

The Axewomen, now 5-and-3, finish their weekend visit to Fredericton by taking on the Dalhousie Tigers. 

RECAP BY: Andy Campbell/UNB Athletics 

PHOTOS BY: James West/for UNB Athletics