REDS Score Season's First W

(FREDERICTON, NB) The UNB REDS celebrated their first victory of the season with a straight-sets win over the Acadia Axewomen in Atlantic University Sport women's volleyball, Friday night at UNB's Richard J. Currie Center.

The REDS won with scores of 26-24, 25-11, and 25-17.

"It feels really good," said REDS' middle Isla Olesen (Calgary, AB), who was named the Tim Horton's Player of the Game. "I think it's something that we've been building toward and it's taken patience and trusting the systems that Lauren is putting in."

The win was the first AUS victory for first-year REDS head coach Lauren Hale-Miller.

"It's exciting and rewarding in the sense that the girls played physically and emotionally how we've been practicing, and it's what we've been working for and it's really nice to get that win," she said.

The REDS opened strong with a 5-2 lead in the first set.

Acadia quickly fought back to tie it at 6-6, keeping tensions high as the teams traded points to an 8-8 deadlock.

Sonya Nielsen (Morrin, AB) made back-to-back kills, putting the REDS up 10-8 in a tight set that was later tied 24-24.

Heather Benko (Sechelt, BC) put UNB ahead 25-24 and Taven Stevenson (Fall River, NS) sealed the set with a kill for a 26-24 victory.

The REDS brought the same energy in the second set, with Lydia Green (Bedford, NS) serving up an early 6-0 lead.

Danielle Krzywonos (Valley, NS) kept the momentum rolling, delivering a critical kill and five consecutive points to extend the REDS' advantage to 17-7.

UNB's effective communication and hard-hitting offense pushed the lead to 23-11, with Benko adding key kills.

The REDS closed out the set 25-11.

UNB came out firing in the third set, quickly building a 3-0 lead and extending it to 5-2.

Benko dominated at the net, helping the REDS hold onto a 7-5 lead before Acadia battled back to a 7-7 tie.

Nielsen and Green followed up with key kills, edging UNB ahead 10-7.

Benko's consistency helped push the REDS further, to a solid 21-15 lead.

The REDS closed out the set 25-17 to win the match.

"One thing we really wanted to focus on was our connection with each other and making eye contact and having effective communication on the court," said Olesen, who finished with nine kills, three digs and four blocks. "I think that was what really made the difference here."

Sophie Edgar (Wolfville, NS) led Acadia's efforts with 10 digs while Katie MacLean (Humboldt, SK) added 19 assists. 

Jenna Adams (Truro, NS) had a game-high 19 digs for the REDS while Green added 17.

Benko finished with a game-high 13 kills and Talia Nixon (Fredericton, NB) registered 42 assists.

"We prepared really hard this week," said Coach Hale-Miller. "For us, it was more on the mental and emotional side that we had to prepare on, and that's what we did all week. Once we got rolling, I knew that the girls were confident and feeling good."

UNB is now 1-and-4 while the Axewomen are 3-and-2.

The REDS and Axewomen face off again Saturday in a scheduled 2:00pm start.

RECAP BY: Annabelle Jewett/for UNB Athletics

PHOTOS BY: James West/for UNB Athletics