Weekend Recap: Kodiaks clash with SAIT and Medicine Hat College in an exciting weekend

The Kodiaks hosted an abundance of events of the past weekend. Volleyball and basketball battled against the SAIT Trojans in home-and-home series while futsal started their season hosting the Medicine Hat College Rattlers.

Women’s volleyball

Jan. 17 WVB | Kodiaks 0 vs SAIT Trojans 3 (13-25, 22-25, 21-25)

In a tough matchup against SAIT, the Lethbridge Polytechnic Kodiaks women's volleyball team fell 3-0 on Saturday night. Despite a solid effort from the Kodiaks, they were unable to overcome the strong performance from SAIT, whose offence was running efficiently. The Kodiaks struggled with consistency in their own attacking, but fought hard in the second and third sets, pushing SAIT to close games. However, key moments in both sets went SAIT's way, ultimately leading to the straight-set defeat.

Notable performances for the Kodiaks came from Kourtney Serfas (second year, Bachelor of Nursing, Turin, Alta.) and Aideena Wickstrom (fifth year, Exercise Science, Coaldale), who both led the team in kills totalling nine each and hitting an efficient .500. Out of the middle, Emma Blumenschein (third year, Bachelor of Nursing, Spruce Grove, Alta.) chipped in with six kills on a .556 efficiency. Despite the loss, the Kodiaks showed their resilience as a group.

Players of the Game:

LPK: #12 Emma Blumenschein

SAIT: #7 Emileigh Inglis

Jan. 18 WVB | Kodiaks 3 vs SAIT Trojans 0 (20-25, 20-25, 23-25)

In their second match Saturday against SAIT, the Kodiaks showed determination but ultimately fell 3-0 again. After facing challenges in the first two sets, the team rallied and came within two points of extending the match. Pushing SAIT to 25-23 highlighted their ability to battle through adversity. Although they were unable to secure the win, the Kodiaks took away the lessons learned into their next set of games.

Several players from Lethbridge Polytechnic stood out with notable individual performances. Wickstrom was the offensive leader with 12 kills, while Austin contributed seven kills and seven digs, showing her all-around ability. The team worked together to total 30 digs. Despite some inconsistencies, Lethbridge’s players showed a lot of fight.

Men’s volleyball

Jan. 17 MVB | Kodiaks 3 vs SAIT Trojans 1 (25-23, 25-19, 23-25, 25-18)

The Kodiaks men's volleyball team delivered a good performance on home court Friday, taking down SAIT in four sets. After taking the first two sets in strong fashion, the Kodiaks faced a challenge in the third set but quickly regrouped and sealed the match in the fourth. Their offence was efficient, especially in the opening two sets, and their defence stood firm when needed. SAIT put up a strong fight in the third, but the Kodiaks ultimately showed their depth and composure to secure the win and improve their record to 11-2, tops in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference south zone.

Leading the charge for the Kodiaks was outside hitter Nolan Moes (fifth year, Natural Resource Compliance, Barrhead, Alta.), who had an outstanding match with 18 kills and 23 points. Cameron Marshall (second year, General Arts and Science, Adelaide, South Australia) also contributed significantly with 11 kills and 13 points. The team’s defensive efforts were solid, with libero Tyler Chernishenko (fifth year, Business Administration, Edmonton) contributing seven digs while the blocking unit adding seven blocks. Despite some challenges in the third set, the Kodiaks showed resilience to close out the match and continue their push towards the top of the rankings.

Players of the Game:

LPK: #6 Cameron Marshall

SAIT: #2 Dominic Soucie

Jan. 18 MVB | Kodiaks 3 vs SAIT Trojans 0 (25-21, 25-14, 25-14)

The Kodiaks controlled their match against SAIT, securing a decisive 3-0 victory. The team showed outstanding offensive efficiency, particularly in the second set, where they hit an impressive .700, and continued to perform at a high level throughout the match. Lethbridge's strong attacking and serving helped them maintain control, while their defence kept SAIT at bay. The clean, focused play from the team was key in sweeping the match, as they executed both offensively and defensively with precision.

Several Kodiak players made significant contributions to the win. Moes led the attack with 20 kills on a remarkable .655 hitting percentage, while Marshall added four kills and three digs. The team's defence was bolstered by 25 digs, with Chernishenko leading the way with 10.

Women’s futsal

Jan. 18 WFUT | Kodiaks 1 vs Medicine Hat College Rattlers 2

The Kodiaks women’s futsal team kicked off their season hosting the Medicine Hat College Rattlers. In a close back and forth game, Medicine Hat was the first to score but the Kodiaks quickly tied things back up as Ana Waurynchuk (fourth year, Interior Design Technology, Cranbrook, B.C.) was able to put one in the back of the net. Late in the first half the Rattlers were able to score again going into the second with momentum.

The Kodiaks tried to regroup at the half and came back started the second with more drive. There were multiple close attacks from the Kodiaks goalkeeper Kiara Jankowiak (second year, General Arts and Science, Lethbridge), with long shots from the other end of the court. The Kodiaks had multiple attempts but couldn’t manage to score another one before the time ran out giving the Rattlers their first win of the season.

Players of the Game:

LPK: GK Kiara Jankowiak

MHC: #21 Kiana Dumais

Men’s futsal

Jan. 18 MFUT | Kodiaks 2 vs Medicine Hat College Rattlers 5

The Kodiaks men’s futsal team had a tough first game against the 2024 Alberta Colleges Athletics Conference silver medalists, the Medicine Hat College Rattlers. It was an aggressive back-and-forth opening half with Tosin Akinola (first year, Business Administration – Accounting, Lagos, Nigeria) scoring the first goal of the game. Tensions ran high between the two teams as the competition and emotions ramped up. Medicine Hat quickly responded with two more goals of their own to put themselves up 2-1 at the end of the first half.

At the start of the second half, tensions died down with the Rattlers adding to the score. Medicine Hat was able to maintain control of the game as well as the momentum with their planned plays. The Kodiaks tried defending them as goalkeeper Tristan Martin (first year, General Arts and Science, Whitehorse, Yukon) blocked shot after shot. In the end, the Rattlers proved to be the better team that day winning 5-2 over the Kodiaks.

Players of the Game:

LPK: GK Tristan Martin

MHC: GK Stefan Vrska

Women’s basketball

Jan. 17 WBB | Kodiaks 48 vs SAIT Trojans 85

The Lethbridge Polytechnic Kodiaks faced a tough road challenge against SAIT, with a strong defensive presence and offensive plays that showed flashes of potential. The Kodiaks battled to keep pace with SAIT as Bailey Blackmore (first year, Bachelor of Nursing, Magrath) stepped up with key rebounds, while her aggressive defence led to several opportunities. The first quarter ended with SAIT up 25-9 over the Kodiaks. The Kodiaks continued to struggle with turnovers in the second quarter allowing SAIT to capitalize on fast breaks and extend their lead. Although the Kodiaks tried to close the gap with Paighton Kumson (second year, Correctional Studies, Edmonton) hitting a three, the half came to a close with the Kodiaks still trailing 44-22.

The Kodiaks had a slow start going into the third quarter allowing the Trojans to pick up where they left off. It wasn’t until later into the third that the Kodiaks started to fight back with several players hitting their shots. That quarter came to a close with SAIT leading 60-33. In the fourth quarter, the Kodiaks had Chase Wells-Creighton (first year, Exercise Science, Stand Off), active on both ends of the court, contriving with strong offensive and defensive plays, including grabbing key rebounds and scoring points off second-chance opportunities. Summer James (third year, Exercise Science, Mountain View) also provided the team with a spark with an energetic layup and timely jump shots. Despite the team's efforts, SAIT's strong defence and quick transitions kept the Kodiaks from closing the gap, losing the game 85-48.

Jan. 18 WBB | Kodiaks 54 vs SAIT Trojans 78

The Kodiaks hosted the SAIT Trojans finishing their home-and-home series. The Kodiaks regrouped from their loss the night before and came into their home gym with some motivation. The first quarter saw a close back-and-forth battle between the two teams. There were several key players stepping up in both defence and offence for the Kodiaks. Blackmore was a force, hitting shots and coming up with several key rebounds. Gaby Power (third year, Early Childhood Education, Calgary) showed her shooting touch as well as her play-making abilities setting up her teammates. The first quarter ended with the Kodiaks down by one, 15-14. The competitiveness from both teams continued into the second with Nyomi Heins (first year, Open Studies, Diamond City) being active in the paint pulling down key rebounds and drawing in fouls for extra chances. The Kodiaks’ defensive pressure was relentless, with several steals, including from Hallee Aleman (first year, Open Studies, Lethbridge) and Blackmore, helping to limit SAIT's scoring opportunities. Despite the Kodiaks strong efforts, they found themselves down 33-28 at the end of the first half.

In the third quarter the Kodiaks continued their fight. Blackmore kept the pressure on with timely plays, including a quick layup early in and a crucial three-pointer later. On the opposite end Wells-Creighton, displayed defensive prowess coming up with key stops. The Kodiaks were still trailing at the end of the third 58-39. In the final quarter Heins was able to make an impact off the bench, securing offensive rebounds and hitting free throws to keep the Kodiaks in the game. Unfortunately, SAIT’s offence proved to be too strong as they took the win over the Kodiaks 78-54.

Players of the Game:

LPK: #8 Bailey Blackmore

SAIT: #7 Macy Mulholland

Men’s Basketball

Jan. 17 MBB | Kodiaks 71 vs SAIT Trojans 66

The Kodiaks men’s basketball team travelled to Calgary to take on the SAIT Trojans. The first quarter saw a close and fast-paced game. Defence from both sides proved to be strong as it was a low scoring quarter. Jackson Wright (second year, Business Administration, Claresholm) had a strong defensive presence for the Kodiaks as he had multiple steals, helping disrupt SAIT's offensive rhythm. The quarter came to a close with the Kodiaks trailing by two, 13-11. In the second quarter Corey Banks (first year, Architectural Animation Technology, Canmore) served the Kodiaks on both ends battling for rebounds. Ryan Degnar (fourth year, Open Studies, Lethbridge) found his offensive rhythm putting up a few points for the Kodiaks. Momentum started to turn for the Kodiaks as they took the lead 31-30 going into the second half.

The Kodiaks showcased their grit in the third quarter, holding strong against a spirited SAIT squad. Wright and Degner continued their offensive stride early on making key shots. Cole Lake (third year, Business Administration, Eagle, Idaho) made his presence felt with solid defensive rebounds and a timely layup. Despite a late push from SAIT, the Kodiaks stayed on top with a score of 49-45 at the end of the third quarter. The Kodiaks continued their pressure in the final frame. SAIT pushed for some late-game pressure, but Lethbridge maintained control, with Treydon Barton’s (third year, General Arts and Science, Raymond) free throw sealing the 71-66 victory.

Jan. 18 MBB | Kodiaks 66 vs SAIT Trojans 80

The Kodiaks men’s basketball squad returned home to take on the SAIT Trojans in front of a familiar fan base. In the first quarter, the Kodiaks fought back after an early deficit, with key contributions from Wright and Cody Tollestrup (second year, General Arts and Science, Magrath), who both made layups to keep the game tight. The team played tough defence with Barton pulling down crucial rebounds. Despite some missed shots and turnovers, Lethbridge found momentum midway through the quarter but still trailed 23-16. In the second quarter, the Kodiaks started to find their rhythm. Rhett Lewis (second year, General Arts and Science, Cardston) made a jump shot, and Banks hit a three-pointer to cut into the Trojans' lead. Levi Balderson (first year, General Arts and Science, Welling) also proved to be a strong presence on the boards, contributing several rebounds and maintaining pressure on the defensive end. SAIT’s strong finish gave them a slight edge at the break leading 39-35.

In the third quarter the Kodiaks stayed within striking distance despite a tough start. Barton ignited the offence early with a three-pointer, followed by Levi Balderson's clutch three to tie the game at 41. As the quarter unfolded, the Kodiaks tightened their defence, with Jackson Wright and Ryan Degner stepping up to grab key rebounds and force turnovers. Lethbridge finished the quarter ahead by just one point, 46-45. In the fourth, the Kodiaks’ defence continued to battle, but SAIT’s offence proved to be a step ahead. As the final minutes ticked away, the Kodiaks showed incredible fight but were ultimately outpaced in a high-intensity finish as the Trojans took the game 80-66.

Players of the Game:

LPK: #2 Treydon Barton

SAIT: #5 Jaden Matthews