By Nick Betzing

November 9th, 2012
Augustana Vikings (2-2) at Briercrest Clippers (1-3)

Briercrest women’s volleyball started the Remembrance Day weekend with a 3-0 (25-15, 25-18, 25-16) win over the visiting University of Alberta, Augustana Vikings.

Briercrest started the game with a bang, winning the opening set with a score of 25-15. Strong serving came from Elly Wendel, along with tremendous play at the setter position from Amanda Lundquist, setting up numerous passes to outside hitter Mikayla Reinhart who finished the set with a whopping 8 kills. A few late kills from Starlet Peterson put the first set  out of reach for the Vikings.

Briercrest started the second set where they left off, taking a commanding 9-2 lead to start the game. Augustana, not to be outdone, battled back to get themselves back into the set closing in with an 11-7 score. Briercrest head coach Nolan Weinmaster wisely took a timeout and that seemed to spark his team. Strong play from Starlet Peterson and a front row that resembled a brick wall defensively, lead Briercrest to take the second set with a score of 25-18.

Continued strong play from Briercrest had them up 6-1 at the start of the third set, but Augustana would not back down, as they came back to make things close midway through the set, trailing only by three. Amanda Lundquist continued her stellar play at setter, providing her hitters with great placement, as the trio of Wendel, Reinhart and Whitney Zylstra continued to put points on the board with their kills. Zylstra finished the set with two service aces, two blocks and four kills, as Briercrest closed the final set 25-16.

In the end, the hometown Clippers were too much for a Vikings team that continued to fight back, but came up short on a snowy night in Caronport. Player of the Game for Briercrest was setter Amanda Lundquist, while Jill Aaron took the honor for Augustana, finishing with five digs and six kills.

Game notes: Briercres statistical leaders were Mikayla Reinhardt with 12 kills and 13 digs, Elly Wendel with 4 service aces, and Whitney Zylstra and Reinhardt with 2 stuff blocks each. Briercrest had 36 kills, 12 service aces, 41 digs and 6 blocks to Augustana's 23 kills, 3 aces, 32 digs and 3 blocks.