Medicine Hat News
The Medicine Hat College women’s volleyball team faces its biggest test of the season this weekend.
The 5-3 Rattlers are up against the 8-0 Briercrest Clippers, a team that’s only dropped three sets this semester and is ranked third in the nation.
On the positive side, Medicine Hat has home court advantage tonight (6 p.m.) and Saturday (1 p.m.) and could vault into second spot in their division.
Lose both, however, and the long-term picture becomes a bit of a dogfight. Only the top four teams go to playoffs in February and Medicine Hat is currently tied for fourth.
It’s a good problem to have for a team that was a distant sixth last season, and head coach Kim Stonehouse is already signing players for next year.
Earlier this week the Rattlers announced that Bassano’s Sarah Singular has signed on to play for Stonehouse in 2019. Stonehouse said in a text that she’s hoping to sign another couple players by the end of this season.
For now, of course, the focus is the Clippers. Led by Becky Garner, whose 3.74 kill per set average is second in the conference, Briercrest is a powerhouse. Garner also averages more than an ace a set from the service line, nearly double that of anyone else in the conference.
Fourth-year outside hitter Amber Stigter (2.74 kills per set) has been a go-to-player for the Rattlers.
In the men’s matchup (8 p.m. Friday, 3 p.m. Saturday), Medicine Hat has lost three in a row after a perfect 5-0 start to the season, and plays 3-5 Briercrest.
The Rattlers will want to shut down Clippers outside hitter Bryton Codd (3.73 kills per set) and can count on veteran middle Zachary Frank (0.67 blocks per set) to help do just that. Offensively fellow fourth-year Alfred Dalevik (2.47 kills per set) and rookie KeAndre Evans (2.43 kills per set) have been key.
Medicine Hat’s basketball teams are at Ambrose in Calgary Friday and Saturday. The women (5-1) play a 2-4 Lions team while the 4-2 men are up against an Ambrose side that’s 5-1.
