BIBLE HILL – The schedule didn’t exactly help the Dalhousie Rams ease back into the Atlantic Colleges Athletic Association women’s volleyball campaign.
The Rams were handed a 3-0 (25-18-25-17, 25-15) setback by the conference-leading St. Thomas Tommies Sunday at Langille Athletic Centre in what was the Rams’ first game since the Christmas break went into effect Nov. 25.
The setback pushes the Rams (3-4) into a tie with the Mount Allison Mounties (3-5) and the Sainte Anne Dragons (3-4) for the fourth and final conference playoff spot. The Tommies (7-1) meanwhile, pad their lead atop the standings to four points over the Mount St. Vincent Mystics (5-1) and Saint John Seawolves (5-3).
“Our serve receive broke down a bit,” Rams offside Zoe Pocock said. “We were attacking well but it was just our serve receive and defence that got us.”
The Tommies exposed those defensive holes throughout the match using their high-powered offence to pound the ball and force the Rams into mistakes. Ashley Jordan recorded nine kills while Nicole Armstrong collected six for the majority of the team’s 29.
The Rams responded with 28 successful attacks of their own, but couldn’t repel enough Tommies attempts to really make them count. Pocock led the charge with seven kills with Cassie McDonald getting six and Brianna Sinclair adding five.
Rachel Hughes had 18 assists and Sinclair, Pocock and Hughes each made a team-high four digs.
In spite of the result, the Rams didn’t walk away hanging their heads.
“We did play well considering we’ve only been back in the game for a week,” Pocock said. “So I’m proud.”
Pocock said the Rams will be working to fix their issues ahead of Wednesday’s trip to Mount St. Vincent for a 7 p.m. match.
“We just need to work on those things to take it to the next level,” she said. “We’re pushing for the playoffs and I know we can get there.”
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