NEWS PHOTO RYAN MCCRACKEN Medicine Hat Rattlers' Dexter Mackie spikes the ball during an Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference game against the Briercrest Clippers Saturday at the Snake Pit.
rmccracken@medicinehatnews.com@MHNMcCracken
Playoffs are no longer in the cards for the Medicine Hat Rattlers men’s volleyball team – but there’s still plenty of room to grow.
The Rattlers were officially ruled out of the post-season following Saturday’s four-set loss (21-25, 27-25, 25-16, 25-18) to the Briercrest Clippers at the Snake Pit, leaving the young squad with six games to build for the future.
“There’s lot of opportunity to grow,” said Rattlers men’s volleyball head coach Tyler Olson. “We came here for a reason, which was to go to provincials, but as long as they keep their wits and their confidence about them and just focus on what they need to do, and take my feedback – and vice-versa of course – we can develop a pretty solid plan for next year.”
It’s been a tumultuous season for the men’s volleyball team. Former head coach Mark Porter parted ways with the Rattlers in November, prompting women’s coach Kim Stonehouse to step in before Olson was named as an interim replacement at the start of December. What’s more, the Rattlers boast a very young roster, with 10 players in their first or second season and no fifth-year veterans.
“We’re a really young team, but we have so much potential and we’re very athletic. It’s just working on the small things. We want to work on more of the minute details,” said middle Justice Lesuk, who had six kills in Saturday’s loss. “With time, and with more experience and more games we can hopefully get to that point. But again, we are very young. I’m a third-year and I’m one of the eldest on the team. That’s been one of our downfalls, I guess, but in a way it’s also good in how we can look to the future.”
Aleksa Zivic led the Rattlers with 13 kills in the loss, while Nikola Sreckovic added 31 assists and Nathan Chernik dug out 12 on defence.
Bryton Codd finished with a match-high 21 kills for Briercrest, Jeremy Martens set up 32 and Brady Watchel had 17 digs.
Medicine Hat fell to 4-14 with the loss. Briercrest jumped to 12-6.
Women’s volleyball
Earlier Saturday afternoon, the Rattlers women’s volleyball team had its losing streak extended to four games in a four-set loss to the Clippers (25-22, 25-20, 18-25, 25-20).
The setback leaves Medicine Hat at 6-10, four points ahead of the SAIT Trojans for fourth in the ACAC South with six games left in the season. The Rattlers already own a ticket to the playoffs as hosts of the championship tournament in February.
Shaya Suchy dug out 21 for Medicine Hat in the loss. On offence, Brooke Christie and Megan Hoeber each logged six kills and Janessa Oelke added 12 assists.
Mia Harder led the Clippers to Saturday’s victory with 19 kills, Ashley Erickson set up 33 and Rebecca Garner dug out 18. Briercrest finished with 75 digs as a team, while Medicine Hat followed up with 73.
Medicine Hat College’s volleyball teams return to the court on Feb. 7 in Lethbridge to face the Kodiaks.
Men’s basketball
The Rattlers men’s basketball team dropped a sixth straight game on the hardwood following a 70-66 loss to the Ambrose Lions, closing out a jam-packed Saturday of action at the Snake Pit.
Medicine Hat fell to 2-12 with the loss, 10 points outside of the playoff picture with seven games left in the regular season. Ambrose climbed to 7-6 with the win.
Zavier Croft led the Rattlers with 17 points in the loss, while Kieron Burgess added 15 with 11 rebounds and three steals.
Linden Jackson powered the Lions to the home-and-home sweep over Medicine Hat with 17 points, followed by 16 points and 11 rebounds out of Nhial Phillip.
Women’s basketball
The Rattlers women’s basketball team gave themselves some breathing room at fourth in the ACAC South with a 66-54 victory over the Lions.
Medicine Hat now sits 8-6 on the season, two points ahead of Briercrest (7-6) with seven games left – however the Rattlers already have a berth into the playoffs as hosts of the championship tournament in early March.
Tatiana Dutka and Katelyn Rozdeba both logged double-doubles in the victory – Medicine Hat’s third in a row. Dutka closed out her game with 14 points and 11 rebounds, while Rozdeba followed up with 11 points and 19 boards. Rhiannon Ware added 16 points in a 6-for-10 outing from the field.
Kristina Bajovic led the Lions with 23 points from the bench. Ambrose fell to 1-12 with the loss.
Medicine Hat College’s basketball teams will be in Red Deer to face the Kings and Queens Friday and Saturday.
