Rustlers outside hitter Lana Matthews fires an absolute rocket over the net and out of reach of the NAIT Ooks on Saturday night at the Lakeland gym. The Rustlers bested the Ooks in three sets. Taylor Weaver Meridian Source Photos
It was another winning weekend for the Lakeland College Rustlers women’s volleyball team (14-1) as they swept the Nait Ooks (4-10).
The ladies started their weekend in Edmonton beating the Ooks in three sets (25-18, 25-9, 25-16) on Friday before returning to the Lakeland gym on Saturday for another three-set-sweep (25-7, 25-20, 25-17).
Head coach, Austin Dyer, noted this is the point in the season where things really come alive with post-season right around the corner.
“It’s as good as it gets,” said Dyer after Saturday’s win.
“We’re starting to see us put things together here and start to roll a little bit. It’s an exciting part of the season for us as we’re looking really good right now.”
Fourth-year outside hitter, Lana Matthews, who was Saturday’s player of the game, putting up 17 points at home and 13 on the road the night prior, it was a great weekend.
“The amount of work we put into this team, expectations are very high, and it is an expectation to walk out there and be able to perform like that,” she said.
“It’s very natural to be back at home doing it; it’s a great feeling.”
Rustlers’ outside hitter Jenay Varga goes for a block against the NAIT Ooks at home on Saturday night to a packed Lakeland gym. The Rustlers host the Northwestern Polytechnic tomorrow night at 6 p.m. before a 1 p.m. matinee on Saturday afternoon.
The Rustlers have secured a playoff spot, but with four matches remaining in the regular season, Matthews noted it’s time to work on the little things.
“Just playing as clean as we can, making sure every contact is clean as it can be so Jana (Laing) can run her offence, and when she does it’s as everyone says, ‘phenomenal.’”
After 15 matches this season, the Rustlers have won 43 sets and lost five.
The current squad is also no stranger to championship play after winning the 2023 Canadian Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAA) national title last March in B.C.
This begs the question … will there be another national championship run this year?
“At the beginning of the season we discussed ensuring everyone enjoyed the whole year,” said Dyer.
“When you return the whole lineup from a national championship season, you can spend the whole year focusing on the championship. But when you get to the point we’re at right now, I’ve been trying to drive home the fact we have to enjoy every day, enjoy every weekend.”
Dyer explained the team’s level in practice is where he wants it, but ensuring players are on the court for the right reason is equally, if not more important.
“When we get to the weekend and have a very good product, are you out there enjoying yourself or are you fixated on winning a championship?” he said.
“I learned a lot from the last run we won. We returned the whole team the following year as well, and that whole season was about repeating. Everything was about winning again, and I don’t feel we took the time to enjoy every piece of it.”
As for right now, however, it would seem the team is lovin’ every minute of it, especially with a CCAA national ranking in the minds of all who play them.
“It’s a fantastic feeling. We’re always pushing ourselves to be one per cent better than the day before,” said Matthews. “National rankings are sometimes (more of) a social media thing, but it’s nice to see it up there.”
Dyer echoed Matthews, adding “It’s not something we look at or care about too much, but, if you’re touted as the number-one team in the country, it’s always a good spot to be in.”
The Rustlers host the Northwestern Polytechnic Wolves tomorrow at 6 p.m. and Saturday at 1 p.m. in the Lakeland gym.
