The women’s Avalanche team had a strong weekend, picking up a win against the visiting Douglas College Royals and falling just short in the fifth tie-breaker set of their opening match.
The men had a tough weekend, losing both matches in straight sets to the Royals, a team which is on an 18-game win streak and has only one loss so far in the season.
In their first match on Friday night, the women traded sets, but the Royals won the following set and took a commanding 14-6 lead in the fourth.
Then the Avs put in Nikki Valgardson and everything changed.
“She served 10 in a row and brought us back into the match to make it 15-14,” said Avalanche assistant coach Brian Millis. “That got them kind of on their heels and then it was back and forth until we took the set at 29-27.”
That tied up the match with both teams holding two sets apiece, which forced a tiebreaker.
Despite a close rally, the Royals edged it out 15-13 to close out the win.
However, the ladies responded the following day with a victory in straight sets, winning 25-19, 25-18, 25-23.
“They did everything right on Saturday,” added Millis. “They came out firing and they knew they had to win that game.”
“We’re in a playoff hunt and we’re not out of it yet and I think the girls have finally hit their stride.”
The men came close to winning the second set in their opening match, but the Royals took the win at 25-18, 26-24, 25-19. The Royals came out swinging on Saturday as well, handily taking three sets for the victory.