Olds College Broncos women's volleyball team 3-0 (26-24, 25-22, 25-22) to the Medicine Hat College Rattlers Saturday, Nov. 23 at the Ralph Klein Centre.

The teams went back and forth for the majority of the first set until the score was tied 9-9. Rattlers started to pull away by taking a five point lead with the score at 15-10 and the Broncos took a time-out. After the time-out the Broncos fought back to close the gap through Avery Gammel, but the Rattlers held the lead and started to pull away further with a couple of kills from Karley Dieken. The Broncos called another timeout at 23-18 and then fought back to tie the set at 24-24 as Medicine Hat called their first timeout. Medicine Hat toook the first set 26-24.

The Rattlers had a strong beginning for the second set at 5-2 with their great defense and the Broncos not having an answer to some of their serves and hits. Eventually with the rotation bringing back some of their best hitters to the front line while playing some good passes the Broncos started to fight their way back into the game. They kept a two point deficit, but the Rattlers were relentless forcing the Broncos to take their first timeout of the set at 13-8 with the Broncos simply not being able to pass into the right positions. The teams then played sideout ball before Searra Schoepfner stepped up with a service ace to bring the score to 16-12. The Broncos won a long rally, where both teams had desperation digs to prolong the point to bring the score to 17-14. Medicine Hat responded to take a 20-16 lead. The teams continued with sideout ball. Searra Schoepfner had a monstrous kill that turned the momentum for the Broncos and they crept up to 21-19 lead for MHC. The Rattlers responded and forced a Broncos timeout at 23-19. Another Searra Schoepfner kill brought the score to 24-22, but the Rattlers took the set 25-22.

Medicine Hat jumped out to a quick 6-1 lead to start the third set. The Broncos gradually pulled closer, bringing the score to 8-4 before MHC responded and pulled ahead 11-4. The Broncos then went on a short run and brought the score to 11-7, highlighted by a Janeen Pellatt kill that MHC wasn't in position for. Searra Schoepfner had a nice block to bring the score to 13-10. Medicine Hat went on another run to bring the score to 17-11, before a Medicine Hat kill attempt went wide and gave the ball back to Olds. MHC took the ball back and forced a Broncos timeout at 18-12. The Broncos scored out of the timeout and went on a short run to bring the score to 18-14, but were forced to take another timeout at 21-14 for Medicine Hat. The teams played sideout ball until the Broncos went on a run to bring the score to 24-22 but that is as close as they would get, falling 25-22.

Player of the game for Medicine Hat was Amber Stigter with a game high 11 kills to go with 11 digs, a game high two blocks and a team high two services aces and the Pit Barbecue Player of the Game for the Broncos was Searra Schoepfner with a team high eight kills, to go with two aces and a team high two blocks.

Medicine Hat held the advantage in kills 39-26, assists 35-24, digs 69-68 amd blocks 7-4. Both teams had six service aces. Aver Gammel had a team high 18 assists, Tabitha Martin had a game high three service aces to go with 14 digs and Francesca Sandini had a game high 28 digs for Olds.

The Broncos host Briercrest College November 29 and 30 to close out the first half of the season. Game times are 6:00 and 1:00 pm respectively. The Saturday games will be Every Child Matters Awareness games.

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.