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The Nipissing Lady Lakers split a pair of weekend games sweeping Redeemer before dropping to the Humber Hawks.
It was another classic chapter in the battle between the two top West Division teams now in its seventh year. In the end it is only fitting that the game would need extra points in the fifth set as the Humber Hawks (13-0) edged the Lady Lakers (9-2) 16-14 in a two hour fifteen minute dual of the top teams in the OCAA.
The Lady Lakers started poorly as Humber took the first set easily 25-18 and the Hawks looked poised to claim the second set before a late rally ignited the Lakers and propelled the team to a 25-23 victory. The Lady Lakers gained some momentum from the previous set and executed very well claiming the third set 25-15. The fourth was a back and forth affair that saw numerous lead changes. The turning point came when Humber retrieved a ball from the back wall that just cleared the net in which the Lakers were unable to take advantage of which led to the 25-23 fourth set win for Humber.
The final set was a classic with Humber taking a 14-11 lead but the Lady Lakers reeled off three points to tie the match. At 14-14 the Hawks where able to side out by the Lakers block and took the final point with a stuff block.
“Despite our slow start I thought it was a good match,” said head coach Marc LaRochelle. “I think the lesson we have to learn yet is to avoid making unforced errors at key moments during a match and when we do good things will happen.”
Saturday the Lady Lakers easily defeated the Redeemer Royals 3-0 (25-17, 25-8, 25-8).
The Lady Lakers will be back in action when they travel to Niagara and Sheridan next weekend.