Fredericton, NB - The St. Thomas University Tommies continued their winning ways, defeating the Holland College Hurricanes 3-1 Wednesday night at the Lady Beaverbrook Gym. Set scores were 9-25, 16-25, 25-22, 11-25. Tommies' standout rookie Kathleen Boyle (Fredericton, NB) posted a game high 11 kills with nine digs. Danica Godin (Fredericton, NB) followed Boyle with six kills, while Maddie MacGregor (Truro, NS) and Abby Lanteigne (Fredericton, NB) each had five kills. Lanteigne and Julia Campbell (Sussex, NB) led the Tommies with 14 digs.
On the Hurricanes' side, Jenna O'Neill led the storm with nine kills. O'Neill also had 12 digs. Morgan White posted six kills while Makena Marble had a game high 18 kills.
The Tommies came out ready to play, having won seven consecutive games heading into the match. The Hurricanes had won three straight prior. After back and forth play for the first few points, the Tommies took off in the first set with a 14-2 run - with seven consecutive points at one point. The Tommies had taken advantage of the Hurricanes miscues, as they tailed nine errors in the first set. They finished the match with 29 compared to the Tommies six.
The Hurricanes would pull a little closer in the second set, having the Tommies knotted up at nine after an attacking error from Boyle. But the Tommies' offence overpowered the Hurricanes, as another run brewed. The Tommies scored eight answered points to widen the gap to a 17-10 lead, threatening the Hurricanes of going down 2-0. Holland would get to 16 to cut the STU lead to four before STU ended the set with five consecutive points, taking the set 25-16.
STU wouldn't be able to finish the sweep. In a close, back and forth third set, Holland fended off the brooms from hitting the court, narrowly taking the fourth set 25-22. But the red hot Tommies wouldn't miss their chance to close it out again.
Five consecutive points to start the fourth set would propel the Tommies to their eighth straight victory, winning the set 25-11 and the match 3-1.
Since losing their first two games of the season, the Tommies have gone 10-1. Their total record of 10-3 has them sitting at the top of the ACAA standings. The Hurricanes are now 7-4. They'll head to Saint John on Jan. 28 for a match with the University of New Brunswick Saint John Seawolves while the Tommies visit the Université Saint Anne Dragons. Scheduled start times are 4:00 PM and 6:00 PM.
