EDMONTON - Fifth-year Lauren Attieh had a season-high 24 kills to lead the UFV Cascades (3-2) to a thrilling 3-2 (16-25, 25-19, 19-25, 25-22, 15-13) thrilling comeback victory over the Alberta Pandas (4-1) Friday night at the Saville Centre.
Lauren Attieh, reigning CW first-team all-star, paced all players with the 24 kills, while Mandi Fiest had a good game as well for the visitors, posting 11 kills amidst five service aces. Alberta third-year Abby Guezen was busy and effective, posting a team-high 17 kills.
It was an incredible comeback for the Cascades, who at one point were down 15-6 in the fourth set, one which would have given Alberta the game with a set victory. However, behind Attieh, some strong net play, and a few Alberta unforced errors, they were able to win their third-straight in Edmonton after sweeping the opening series last season.
It was an exciting start to this one, as both sides went on a series of runs that featured some phenomenal volleyball. First, a 7-3 opening run from the visiting side capped off with two straight kills from Naomi Unger, but the Pandas would respond with a 7-0 run of their own to grab the lead mid-set. The squads would inch forward until Guezen stepped up to the line and ripped off four service aces on a 7-0 run to lead to a 25-16 Alberta victory.
The second set was just as thrilling, as the teams were in lockstep almost the entire way. The largest lead of the set was just two, when UFV held a 18-16 lead. Mandi Feist, third-year outside hitter, would then score four of the ensuing five kills and add a service ace as the visitors snuck to a 23-18 lead. Alberta errors and a big UFV block would give them a very competitive 25-18 set victory, with Feist leading the way with five kills.
The Cascades played heavy through Lauren Attieh in the third set, and to largely great effect as the fifth-year outside hitter led the frame with six kills, and hit 13 attacks as the visitors looked to grab the all-important middle set. However, Guezen and the Pandas would hold UFV to just a .075 attacking mark as they outlasted Attieh and the Cascades with a 25-19 set win.
The fourth set looked to be an Alberta victory lap, which at one point they led 15-6, but a strong effort from the Cascades pushed this game to a fifth and final set, as UFV won 25-22. It was again Attieh pacing the scoring, recording six kills including two of the last three to push a fifth and decisive set.
The Cascades opened up a 7-2 lead in the fifth, on the back of some extremely strong service and Alberta unforced errors. Guezen and Laila Johnston would not let the Pandas die that easily though, and quickly rebounded the squad to an eventual 14-13 deficit. Talia Attieh, taking a set from Cailin Bitter who finished with 37 assists, finished the job for the Cascades however with a kill for the set and match 15-13.
The teams return to action tomorrow for their last matchup together in the regular season.
