(FREDERICTON, NB) l'Université de Moncton Aigles Bleues scored a 3-1 win over the Memorial Sea-Hawks on Sunday, the final day of competition at the 2019 Atlantic University Sport league tournament.
Moncton won with scores of 9-25, 25-18, 25-22, and 25-9.
Joanie Arsenault (Tracadie-Sheila, NB) led Moncton with 18 digs and nine kills. She was named the Subway Player of the Game.
"We needed that win, and we knew, so we had to go all out," said the second-year middle. "We struggled a bit early and we said enough with the stupid mistakes. We said, let's play our game, let's stop playing their game."
The Sea-Hawks raced out to a 10-1 lead in the opening set and continued to press.
They led 16-3 at the technical time-out before a bit of a Moncton rally that saw les Aigles Bleues score effectively, pulling to within 21-8.
But the early deficit was too much for Moncton to overcome and Memorial took the set 25-9.
In the second, les Aigles Bleues found momentum and established a 10-7 lead, forcing a Hawks time-out.
Moncton held the lead to the technical time-out, where they were up 16-13.
After the break, the Sea-Hawks strung together points, tying the score 17-17 and forcing a Moncton time-out.
The tactic worked, and Moncton held Memorial to just one more point the rest of the way, winning the second set 25-18.
The third set began much the same as the second, with Moncton pushing out to an early lead, but never too far ahead of the Sea-Hawks.
At the technical time-out, Moncton was up 16-12.
It remained close, and the Sea-Hawks thought they'd tied the set 22-22, but officials ruled point Moncton, which put les Aigles Bleues up 23-21, and they went on to win 25-22.
In the fourth, Moncton powered out to a 6-0 lead, and pushed that to 11-3, forcing a Sea-Hawks time-out.
Moncton won a 25-plus touch rally to take a 16-5 lead at the technical time-out, but Memorial rallied to win the next point on another long rally.
While the Hawks continued to fight, les Aigles Bleues were able to hold on for a 25-9 set win and a 3-1 victory.
Christelle Bertin (Beresford, NB) had 15 digs and nine kills for Moncton, while Cassidy Martin (Dieppe, NB) recorded 34 assists.
Katie Wagar (Halifax, NS) had a match-high 26 digs for the Sea-Hawks, and Kaitlyn Kuchinka (Edmonton, AB) had a dozen kills.
"We started strong, but we lost the momentum a bit," said Wagar. "We're hungry for our win, we're ready for it, and we're going to keep pushing until we get it."
Memorial is now 0-and-9, while Moncton improves to 4-and-6.
Both teams are now off until January.
League play resumes January 10th, with Memorial visiting Dalhousie and Moncton at Acadia.
RECAP BY: Andy Campbell/UNB Athletics
PHOTOS BY: James West/for UNB Athletics