HUMBER RELEGATED TO BRONZE MEDAL ROUND AT NATIONALS

LLOYDMINSTER, Alta. - Lakeland Rustler fans went home happy after raising the roof for their team through the match and giving them a standing ovation when they claimed their 3-1 set win over the second ranked Humber Hawks in the quarter-finals of the 2013 CCAA Women's Volleyball National Championship presented by Viterra.

After dropping the first set 25-21, the Rustlers rebounded with 25-22, 28-26 and 25-21 victories.

As had been the rule for most of the day team traded points early in their sets as they felt out unfamiliar opponents.

Most exciting and tense for the fans was the third set when the Rustlers squandered an early lead (14-8) and even were up 20-15, before the Hawks stormed back to tie the set at 20.

Eventually, after coming back from being behind by a point three times, the Rustlers powered to a 28-26 win.

Buoyed by their win and the crowd, the Rustlers won match point on an ace by player of the game Erin Macdonald.

The Rustlers spread their kills around with Erika Lustig and Erin McGladdery each claiming 11, all-Canadian Ashley Lange ahd 10, Peggy "Power" Sommerfeld with nine and Stephanie Penner with seven. Libero Laura Popplestone led the Rustlers with 20 digs.

Leading the Hawks with 16 kills, also her uniform number, was their player of the game Deborah Mitchell. All-Canadian Kelly Nyhof had 10 kills and Thalia Hanniman 11.

Ontario reps Humber now plays Friday at 3 p.m. versus the Columbia Bearcats, the PACWest silver medalists. Lakeland will play again at 8 p.m. against the Quebec gold medalists from Collège Édouard Montpetit.

Source: Lakeland College