Kodiaks win home opener

On an emotional night, the Lethbridge College Kodiaks women’s volleyball team opened their season on a winning note.

The Kodiaks downed the Medicine Hat Rattlers in a win that went the five-set distance during Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference play Friday night at the Val Matteoti Gymnasium.

On a night when the Kodiaks paid tribute to Emmalee Cherweniuk — who was killed in a car crash in March — with a pregame banner raising cermony as well as naming a scholarship after her, the hosts then went out and served up a five-game victory.

The Kodiaks won the first two sets 25-22 and 25-17, but the Rattlers rallied with a 25-20 win in the third set before posting a close 27-25 win in the fourth set to set up the race to 15 in the fifth set.

However, Lethbridge rallied in the winner-take-all set with a 15-10 decision to earn the win as the rematch heads to Medicine Hat tonight.

The Kodiaks had three players hit double digits in kills, led by Kristine Ward’s 15. Laura Serafini added 11 kills for the Kodiaks and Jamie Brown mashed 10.

Reina Hirata had 19 digs for the Kodiaks, while Ward had 13, Sianna Cherweniuk chipped in with 12 and Serafini had 10.

The men’s game was still in progress as of press time.

Game time tonight in Medicine Hat is 6 p.m. for the women and 8 p.m. for the men.

LCI Rams’ Jack Halvorson runs the ball toward the goal line for a touchdown against the Catholic Central Cougars during Southern Alberta High School Football League action Friday night at the University of Lethbridge Stadium. The Ram won 45-13. In...

Herald photo by Ian Martens Lethbridge College Kodiak teammates support Sianna Cherweniuk as they listen to her parents speak at a pre-game ceremony honouring her sister Emmalee who was killed in a car crash last spring.