The NSAC Rams were happy, even though they lost 3-1 (25-19, 21-25, 25-22, 25-22) to the Mount Allison Mounties Sunday in ACAA women's volleyball at Langille Athletic Centre. And the Mounties weren't satisfied with their performance at all in front of about 100 fans.
Not what you'd expect, but you read that right.
"I'm impressed," said Rams power Samantha Fanning, a Truro resident. "We did a lot better than I expected."
A win could have lifted the fourth-place Rams (7-4) into a tie with the Mounties (9-3) for third in the seven-team conference. However, the win gives Mount Allison a share of second with the St. Thomas Tommies. The Mount St. Vincent Mystics (11-1) lead the way, their first loss coming Saturday to the Mounties.
The top four teams earn berths at the conference championship Feb. 25 at St. Thomas.
Fanning's expectations were low bcause the Rams were missing conference kill leader Cassandra Teed and veteran setter Emma Stanfield to injury, leaving them with just six players for Sunday's tilt. Both should return to action this week.
"We played extremely well without Cassandra and Emma," Fanning said. "We kind of proved ourselves. It was a game for all of us rookies to prove ourselves."
The game was a tight one throughout with both teams seeming to match each other point-for-point. Rarely was there more than a few points difference in the score.
"We weren't happy with our play at all to be honest," said Brookfield native and Mounties left side Caila Henderson, who led her team with 17 kills and 16 digs. "It was a pretty messy game but a win is a win I guess."
Truro's Sarah Matheson led the Rams with 16 digs and eight kills while Zoe Pocock added 12 digs and four kills.
With both teams tied at a set apiece, the Mounties were able to break a 22-22 tie and take the decisive third set.
"I think just trying to stay focused and not thinking about what they're doing and just keeping our side together and tight," Henderson said about the key to winning.
However, Rams didn't let losing the third set affect their psyche and tried to mount a comeback early in the fourth, jumping out to a small lead before the Mounties quickly equalized.
"It kind of motivated us more to fight back and really beat them because we were so close," Fanning said.
Aside from a few miscues on serve receive, Fanning said she felt her team did everything right.
"I think it was just the luck of the draw that held us back," she said. "We were neck and neck the whole game. The third set, we were so close, we should have won that one."
The Rams are back in action Saturday when they host the Holland Hurricanes for a 1 p.m. match.
sports@trurodaily.com
