Mystics Push Tommies in Competitive Four-Set Loss
The host Mystics put together several strong stretches of play but ultimately fell in four sets to the visiting Tommies in a competitive matchup.
(Halifax, NS) The St. Thomas Tommies earned a four-set victory over the host Mount Saint Vincent Mystics on Saturday afternoon, taking the match 25–22, 24–26, 25–16, 25–19.
The opening set saw both teams trading early points before the Tommies gained the first bit of separation, pushing ahead 5–4 with kills from Anna Osborne (Fredericton, NB) and Morgan Coy (Fredericton, NB) and an ace by Kathleen Boyle (Fredericton, NB). The Mystics countered with a pair of kills from Jenna Allison (Fall River, NS) to briefly take the lead, but STU responded with a 9–6 advantage behind kills from Cali Nadeau (Quispamsis, NB) and Coy and an ace from Ava Slipp (Fredericton, NB). The Mystics surged late, turning a 15–14 deficit into a 17–15 lead thanks to a Taylor Kukurski (New Denmark, NB) kill and a Rebekah McGeoghegan (Stratford, PE) ace. However, with MSVU up 21–18, the Tommies closed the set on a decisive six-point run, capped by a Nadeau kill and a Coy ace, to take it 25–22.
The Tommies carried that momentum into the second set, opening with three straight points and continued strong attacking from Boyle and Coy. The teams battled point for point until, tied 12–12, Kukurski sparked the Mystics with a kill and an ace to put them ahead 14–12. Boyle and Macie Urban (Winnipeg, MB) answered for the Tommies to trim the lead, and a subsequent five-point run gave STU a 22–19 advantage. The Mystics refused to fold, stringing together three big points that included a kill and ace from Sarah Ryan (Inverness, NS) and a block from Allison to even the score at 22–22. MSVU completed the comeback, closing out the frame 26–24 to tie the match at one set apiece.
The third set tilted heavily in the Tommies' favour. Osborne and Estey helped the Tommies jump ahead early, and a dominant five-point stretch extended the lead to 13–5 with kills from Slipp and Estey. McGeoghegan provided a brief spark for the Mystics with a kill and block as part of a four-point run, but the Tommies maintained control throughout and took the set 25–16.
With their backs against the wall, the Mystics opened the fourth set aggressively, building a 5–2 lead behind back-to-back aces from McGeoghegan. The Tommies answered with a four-point run led by Osborne, then MSVU regained ground with a three-point push capped by an Emily Murphy (Moncton, NB) kill for an 11–8 advantage. Boyle continued her strong performance, lifting the Tommies to a 14–13 lead, and when the set reached 14–14, the Tommies delivered another decisive six-point run featuring a Boyle kill and an Estey ace to go up 20–14. The Tommies controlled the remainder of the set and secured the match with a 25–19 win.
Top Performers - Mystics
Taylor Kukurski - 11 kills, 2 aces, 1 block
Rebekah McGeoghegan - 26 assists, 3 kills, 3 aces
Jenna Allison - 6/8 kills (75%), 2 blocks
Top Performers - Tommies
Kathleen Boyle - 18 kills, 21 digs, 3 aces
Anna Osborne - 8 kills, 2 blocks
Ella Estey - 37 assists
Both teams return to the court tomorrow at 1:00pm as they face off in a rematch of today's matchup.