Rattlers turn tide late in Lethbridge

By None on January 5, 2019.

Medicine Hat News

Medicine Hat College’s women’s basketball team expected a tougher test in Lethbridge Friday, but managed to pull out a 70-58 win thanks to ramped-up defensive pressure in the final quarter.

Kendell Kuntz’s three-pointer with 5:13 remaining finally gave the Rattlers the lead for good on a night the Kodiaks opened with a 10-1 run and looked primed for an upset after losing by 31 the last time the teams met.

Medicine Hat followed the final lead change with a killer instinct, forcing a trio of turnovers as part of a 13-2 run.

Kuntz had 10 of her 13 points in the fourth, but it was Kiana Mintz who led the team with 16 points on the night.

Jocelyn Neilson had 11 points and six rebounds for Lethbridge, which had won four straight conference games but fell to 6-3.

Medicine Hat, now 9-1, hosts the return matchup Saturday at 6 p.m.

Women’s volleyball

At Caronport, Sask., there was no upset this time for the Rattlers women’s volleyball team.

The host Briercrest Clippers finished off a 3-0 (25-17, 25-16, 25-20) win in about 90 minutes, serving tough and getting production from every position.

Justine Collin had 10 kills and two service aces for Briercrest, while Becky Garner had seven kills and three aces.

Medicine Hat’s Mckenzie Griffith had eight kills and Amber Stigter seven.

The Rattlers stopped the Clippers’ unbeaten string last semester and are now 7-6. Briercrest improved to 11-2 and host Medicine Hat again Saturday.

Men’s volleyball

A day after describing this weekend’s matches as critical in terms of making the playoffs, Rattlers men’s volleyball coach Mark Porter couldn’t have been happy about what he saw Friday.

At Briercrest, Porter’s side was handed a 3-0 (25-18, 25-14, 25-21) defeat, which will only ramp up the pressure more in Saturday’s rematch. Regardless of what happens, the Rattlers have lost the season series to the Clippers, who at 7-6 now effectively have a two-win lead on 6-7 Medicine Hat in the race for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference South Division. Briercrest would win the tiebreaker on sets for and against even if Medicine Hat should sweep them Saturday afternoon.

Briercrest got 11 kills from Mitchell Erickson and registered nine aces and nine blocks, compared to Medicine Hat’s one ace and four blocks.

KeAndre Evans had 13 kills for the Rattlers.

Men’s basketball

The Lethbridge Kodiaks proved their first-semester win over the Rattlers was no fluke, earning an 80-75 victory that came down to the last minute.

Down one with 64 seconds to go, Medicine Hat couldn’t buy a bucket on their last couple possessions.

The hosts led for most of the night, albeit by scant margins of no more than six. Lincoln Anderson had 17 plus eight rebounds to lead the way, while Michael Clemons and Orin Porter Jr. each had 13.

Kieron Burgess scored 23 and added 17 rebounds for the Rattlers. DeAngelo Ashley had 12 points.

Lethbridge has won both head-to-head matchups and would win a tiebreaker in the standings. Both teams plus Ambrose are now tied for second in the South with six wins, though at 6-3 the Kodiaks have a game in hand on the other two 6-4 teams.

Medicine Hat hosts a rematch Saturday at 8 p.m.

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