Balls, pucks, and shuttlecocks

With students settling into the new semester, Mounties Athletics was in full gear with both the women’s volleyball, hockey and badminton teams playing during the first weekend of the semester.

Right before the break, the women’s volleyball team had its toughest match, playing top-ranked Holland College. The Mounties fought hard, but ended up dropping the game in four sets, losing 1-3.

“We were up in every set, but they just came back, we almost came back as well, and although we lost, we are very even with them,” said head coach Paul Settle.

The team started this semester off with an exhibition tournament at St. Thomas University, in which they got another crack at Holland College. The team split 1-1 for a tie and gained confidence for the next time they will meet. Following the tournament, they hosted STU in league play, winning 3-1.

This past weekend, the team went 1-1 with a loss against perennial powerhouse Mount Saint Vincent and a win against the University of King’s College. This leaves the team with a 9-3 record, ranking them third in the conference. The women’s team hopes to remain successful during the upcoming two weekends.

Mounties hope to skate back into the win column as playoffs near. Paul Lynch

“[They] will determine our fate. It’s not the end of the world, but if we do well these two weekends, it’ll set us up nicely for playoffs,” Settle said. The team will not only be playing teams within the top spots of the conference, but will be playing back-to-back games both weekends as well. The volleyball Mounties are seeking to end the season being one of the top two teams in the ACAA, which would earn them a bye round during playoffs. The team will be on the road this weekend, facing off against UNBSJ and Holland College.

The women’s hockey team returned to action the first weekend of January, facing off against the Université de Moncton. After a tough match, the Mounties fell 3-2 in overtime.

The Mounties’ most recent game was this past Sunday, in which they suffered a 6-2 loss against Dalhousie University. Even though they lost, the team has played some of their best hockey over the past few games.

“Things are starting to click,” captain Mackenzie Lalonde said. “Every year I’ve been with the team we always come out stronger in the second half of the season, and this year is no different.”

With only six regular season games remaining, the Mounties look to make a late push in the standings to secure a playoff berth. This Sunday, the Mounties will face off against UPEI at home, where they will be looking to walk away with a win and continue to build for the tail end of the season.

The badminton team started this semester off with all of its team members healthy and injury-free. This past weekend, the team travelled to King’s for its first tournament of the new year. Captains Olivia Adams and Jaryd Morrisey led the team to another first-place finish. “The additional morning practices have helped in refining shots as a whole,” Adams said. The Mounties are entering the second half of their season, in which they hope to secure the ACAA championship for a record ninth season in a row. The team will be in action this weekend as they head to DAL AC to try to take home another win.

Disclosure: Hamza Munawar is a member of the badminton team.

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