REDS Rally Past Aigles Bleues

(FREDERICTON, NB) The UNB REDS scored their first win of the 2022-23 Atlantic University Sport women's volleyball season on Friday, beating the Université de Moncton Aigles Bleues 3-1 in the REDS home opener.

UNB won with scores of 21-25, 25-14, 25-16 and 25-21.

"It's pretty exciting," said REDS' outside hitter Lydia Green (Bedford, NS). "We got off to a bit of a slow start, but we picked it up, we kept the pressure on them, and it was really fun to play in."

Green finished with 10 kills and eight digs for the REDS. She was named Subway Player of the Game.

Using some strong blocking, Moncton established an early 7-3 lead, prompting a UNB timeout.

The REDS couldn't get their service game working and fell behind 9-5.

Back-to-back kills by Green and a block by Isla Olesen (Calgary, AB) helped the REDS claw back, trimming Moncton's lead to 12-11 and forcing a timeout from the visitors.

The Aigles Bleues responded, pushing their lead back to four, at 15-11.

The REDS rallied, drawing even 17-17 and 20-20, but couldn't hold the momentum.

Moncton won the first set 25-21.

The REDS began the second set with renewed purpose, quickly establishing themselves at the net and building an 18-8 lead.

A service error, out of a Moncton timeout, cost the Aigles Bleues as UNB went up 23-13, on route to a 25-14 second set victory.

In the third set, the REDS continued to roll, leading 6-3 early and 15-10 midway through.

An Olesen block and an Emma Burns (Fredericton, NB) kill pushed UNB's lead to 21-13 and the REDS took the third set 25-16.

In the fourth set, the REDS saw an early lead evaporate as Moncton tied the score 8-8.

With Olesen serving, UNB then restored a three-point advantage, taking an 11-8 lead.

Moncton would keep the score close, but when UNB went up 18-14, Aigles Bleues head coach Joline Richard called timeout.

The REDS hung on, winning the fourth set 25-21 and taking the match 3-1.

"I thought we managed ourselves better," said REDS' head coach Richard Schick, citing UNB's 0-2 start at Acadia last weekend. "We passed the ball better, we served the ball better, every aspect of our game was a lot stronger. It was neat to see our players respond after the first set when they (Moncton) came out aggressively."

Burns and Heather Benko (Sechelt, BC) led the REDS with 12 kills apiece. Benko added 15 digs and four service aces.

First-year REDS' libero Jenna Adams (Truro, NS) had 14 digs.

Emily Robichaud (Dieppe, NB) led Moncton with a match-high 19 digs, while Joanie Arsenault (Tracadie-Sheila, NB) had seven kills and a dozen digs.

"It's a hard loss," said Coach Richard. "We know we can show up better. We can play together, and we can eliminate the errors that really hurt us."

The two teams don't have to wait long for a re-match.

Moncton plays host to the REDS on Sunday, at 2:00pm.

"We need to remember how those last few sets felt and build off that," said Green.

RECAP BY: Andy Campbell/UNB Athletics

PHOTOS BY: James West/for UNB Athletics