Olds College Broncos women's volleyball team lost 3-1 (25-20, 21-25, 25-22, 25-16) to the Medicine Hat College Rattlers in the Community Appreciation Night Friday, Nov. 22 at the Ralph Klein Centre.
The Broncos stepped out of the gates with a 6-1 lead, but Medicine Hat fought back forcing a Broncos timeout at 20-17 for Medicine Hat. The Broncos scored out of the timeout, but the teams exchanged points and the Broncos took a timeout at 24-20 for Medicine Hat. The Rattlers got an ace out of the timeout to win the set 25-20.
The Broncos stepped out to another lead to start the second set, this time a tighter 5-3 lead with Tabi Martin stepping up to serve. The teams exchange points until Searra Schoepfner got two monster kills to make the score 9-6. The teams exchanged points with Medicine Hat able to pull up to 16-15 for the Broncos, but no closer until the Broncos pulled ahead 22-19 and forced a Medicine Hat timeout. The Broncos scored out of the timeout to extend their lead before the Rattlers got the ball back. Tabi Martin had a powerful kill to extend the lead 24-20. The Broncos won the set 25-20.
The Broncos started the third set with a one point lead but Medicine Hat went on a run to take a 9-3 lead and forcing an Olds timeout. The Broncos fought back to make it 10-8 and the Rattlers decided to take a time out. The Broncos scored out of the timeout to cut deeper into the Rattlers lead. The Broncos took a 13-11 lead a few points later. The Rattlers responded with a run of their own to take a 16-15 lead but the Broncos battled back. Medicine Hat built an 18-16 lead forcing a Broncos timeout. The Broncos cut the lead to 20-19 for Medicine Hat, but the Rattlers responded to build up a 23-20 lead. A huge Broncos block brought the score to 23-22 and forced a Medicine Hat timeout. The Rattlers rattled off three points to take the set 25-22.
For the fourth time of the day, the Broncos jumped out to an early lead, but this time only a single point early. The Rattlers were able to take the momentum and take a 4-2 lead. The Broncos responded to take a 7-6 lead before Medicine Hat ended the Broncos run. The teams exchanged points with neither team taking more than a one point lead until the Rattlers took a 12-9 lead. Natalya Hauser came in at setter and the Broncos temporarily took back the momentum before the Rattlers took a 14-10 lead and forced an Olds timeout. The Rattlers scored another point out of the timeout before a Janeen Pellatt block brought Tabi Martin to the service line where she immediately served an ace to bring the score to 16-12. Medicine Hat went on a run to force an Olds timeout at 20-12 for the Rattlers. Janeen Pellatt had a high flying kill out of the timeout, and she then went to the service line and cut the MHC lead to 20-15, including a service ace of her own. A Keira Mackenzie block brought the score to 22-16 for MHC, but the Rattlers went on to win the set 25-16.
Player of the game for Medicine Hat was Brooke Christie with a game high 12 kills to go with 13 digs and two blocks and the Pit Barbecue Player of the Game for the Broncos was Janeen Pellat with six kills, a game high three aces and a game high three blocks.
Broncos held the advantage in blocks 12-7 while Medicine Hat held the advantage in kills 40-29, service aces 9-8 and digs 69-58. Both teams had 24 assists. Searra Schoepfner had a team high eight kills, Avery Gammel had a game high 16 assists and Francesca Sandini had a 
team high 22 digs for Olds.
The Broncos host Medicine Hat College again tomorow Saturday, Nov. 23 at 1:00 pm respectively.
To learn more about Olds College, the Olds College Broncos and the volleyball teams go to gobroncos.ca; like the Facebook page and follow @OldsBroncos on Twitter and Instagram.