Weekend Recap: Battle of the men’s top teams

The Lethbridge Polytechnic Kodiaks basketball and volleyball teams faced off against the Lakeland College Rustlers and the Keyano College Huskies.

The women’s basketball team picked up two wins and the men’s team split the weekend, taking the upset win over the nationally ranked Huskies.

The women’s volleyball team fell short against the Huskies and the men’s team split the weekend, winning against Lakeland and falling to the No. 1 team in the North Division.

Basketball

Nov. 14 WBB | Kodiaks 59 vs LAKE Rustlers 42

Lethbridge Polytechnic’s women came out flying in the opening frame, building their identity around defence and downhill attacks. Gaby Power (fourth year, Early Childhood Education, Calgary) kicked things off with an early steal and layup, and the Kodiaks never surrendered that edge, with Chase Wells-Creighton (second year, Exercise Science, Standoff) patrolling the paint for blocks, boards and a smooth jumper, while Zoe Michelson (first year, General Arts and Science, Stirling) added an and-one finish and composure at the stripe. Summer Long (first year, General Arts and Science, Lethbridge) consistently put pressure on the rim, getting to the line and finding teammates, and Nyomi Heins slashed in for a late layup as the Kodiaks took a 15–10 lead after the first quarter. In the second, the offence stayed balanced: Power knocked down a jumper, Long kept attacking in transition, and Wells-Creightoncontinued to hit from mid-range. The Kodiaks navigated a tighter second quarter in which they were edged 14–12 on the scoreboard but still carried a 27–24 advantage into halftime.

After the break, the Kodiaks seized control. Nyomi Heins (second year, Therapeutic Recreation, Diamond City) opened the third quarter with another strong take to the rim, and Z. Michelson calmly buried free throws as Lethbridge stretched the gap. Power rose to the moment with a big three-pointer and a trip to the line, while Wells-Creighton and Long kept the Rustlers off balance with relentless attacking and key rebounds. The Kodiaks powered through the third quarter that pushed the lead to 44–34. In the fourth, Lethbridge closed the door as their depth did the rest, with Ava Michelson (first year, General Arts and Science, Stirling) cashing in at the stripe, Kaycee Tallman (first year, General Arts and Science, Lethbridge) and Yar Biar (first year, General Arts and Science, Lethbridge) working the glass, and Gabby Graves (second year, Bachelor of Nursing, Raymond) and Mylynn Lewis(first year, General Arts and Science, Onion Lake, Alta.) adding late buckets, blocks and free throws as the Kodiaks took the game 59–42.

Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) Player of the game:

LPK: #12 Zoe Michelson

Nov. 15 WBB | Kodiaks 65 vs KC Huskies 59

The Kodiaks opened with good ball movement and energy, sparked by Z. Michelson jumping a passing lane early and then knocking down a three off a kick-out from Power. A. Michelson came in and immediately hit a jumper, while Wells-Creighton went to work inside with a pair of strong finishes and trips to the free-throw line. Longattacked downhill for a late layup, and Heins and Gianna Gammie (second year, General Arts and Science, Nanton) chipped in with steals and rebounds to keep Lethbridge within striking distance, even as Keyano edged the opening frame 18–15. In the second quarter, Heins finally broke through with a mid-range jumper off another Power assist, and Wells-Creighton answered a Huskies run with a big three and an and-one drive to the rim. Z. Michelsonadded a driving layup and the Kodiaks kept battling on the glass through Biar and Tallman, but despite those bright spots, the offence stalled late. Keyano outscored Lethbridge sending the Kodiaks to the locker room trailing 38–25 at halftime.

After the break, the Kodiaks completely flipped the script with a relentless two-way response. Long set the tone in the third with multiple steals and attacking layups, while Power sliced in for a transition bucket and Heins finished in traffic off a feed from Wells-Creighton. A. Michelson added a strong drive of her own, and the frontcourt duo of Biar and Gammie combined on a key layup that finally pulled Lethbridge level, as the Kodiaks dominated the third 18–7 to close the gap to 45–43 after three. In the fourth, Long caught fire, drilling a three, knocking down a pull-up jumper and repeatedly getting to the rim, while Wells-Creighton calmly sank pressure free throws and hit a big mid-range shot to tie things up. Power added clutch free throws in the final minute, and Heins capped her night with a dagger three off a Long assist to seal it. With a fourth-quarter push, Lethbridge stormed back to take the final frame and complete an impressive comeback 65–59 victory.

ACAC Player of the game:

LPK: #22 Chase Wells-Creighton

Nov. 14 MBB | Kodiaks 71 vs LAKE Rustlers 76

The Lethbridge men’s basketball team came out firing in the opening quarter, with Levi Balderson (second year, General Arts and Science, Welling) setting the tone by drilling the game’s first three and then burying two more from deep as the Kodiaks’ offence caught fire. Kade Lund (second year, General Arts and Science, Barnwell) attacked the rim for a crafty finish and crashed the glass to extend possessions, while Rhett Lewis (third year, General Arts and Science, Cardston) came in for a tough and-one to keep the visitors in front. Nathaniel Hosannah (second year, Business Administration, Tacoma, Wash.) was active early on the defensive glass and in the passing lanes, and the bench gave a big lift late in the frame: Marley Kenion (first year, Child and Youth Care, Coventry, England) finished at the rim, Randall Mongard (first year, Open Studies, Laval, Que.) knifed in for a layup, and Memphis Gambler-Yellow Knee (first year, Open Studies, Leduc, Alta.) crashed the boards for a buzzer-beating tip-in to cap a strong start. The Kodiaks edged the Rustlers 22–20 in the first quarter and kept their foot on the gas in the second. Kenionopened the period with two calm free throws and another driving layup, Gambler-Yellow Knee and Mongardbattled on the interior, and Hosannah continued to push in transition, finishing at the rim. As Lakeland pushed back, Balderson answered with another key three, Jackson Wright (third year, Business Administration, Claresholm) and Cole Lake (fifth year, Business Administration, Eagle, Idaho) attacked the basket for finishes, and Lewis knocked down a mid-range jumper and a late layup off Mongard’s playmaking. Lethbridge again narrowly took the frame carrying a 44–41 lead into halftime.

After the break, the Kodiaks delivered another strong stretch in the third. Hosannah steadied the group with a pull-up jumper, then sparked a run with a transition layup, while Lewis jumped a passing lane to start the break and Balderson raced out for a layup at the other end. Gambler-Yellow Knee continued to battle on the boards, and Treydon Barton (fourth year, General Arts and Science, Raymond) provided a spark off the bench with back-to-back layups down the stretch as the Kodiaks again outscored Lakeland in the third, taking a 60–55 advantage into the fourth. In the final quarter, the Rustlers made their push, but Kodiaks players kept answering. Kenion knocked down multiple jumpers in big moments, Hosannah powered to the rim for a dunk and a late three-point play, and Balderson added a strong driving finish plus a key block at the rim to keep Lethbridge within striking distance. Despite the effort, Lakeland controlled the closing minutes to win the fourth 21–11 and pull out a 76–71 final.

ACAC Player of the game:

LPK: #7 Levi Balderson

Nov. 15 MBB | Kodiaks 65 vs KC Huskies 59

The Kodiaks built their upset win over Keyano on a strong start and a composed response to Huskies’ runs. After grabbing a 24–17 lead in the first quarter, Lethbridge kept finding answers in the second. Hosannah and Lakecombined for key finishes at the rim, off the bench, Barton stepped in with a timely three and a smooth mid-range jumper, while Kenion provided energy with a jumper and a tough take to the hoop. Lund repeatedly attacked downhill, capping the half with a tip-in in traffic, and Lewis helped control the glass and tempo. Even though the Huskies edged the frame 25–19 in the second quarter, the Kodiaks still took a 43–42 lead into halftime.

Lethbridge blew the game open coming out of the break, riding a huge surge from their guards and wings. Mongardcalmly knocked down free throws early in the third before Gambler-Yellow Knee and Lake cleaned the glass to ignite transition. Balderson caught fire from deep, drilling multiple threes in the period, while Lake mixed in drives and a pair of free throws as the Kodiaks dominated the paint. Wright was relentless attacking the rim, stacking layups and free throws, and Kenion stayed poised at the line to keep the pressure on. Lethbridge exploded for a 35–19 advantage in the third quarter to lead 78–61 after three, then continued to pour it on in the fourth. The Kodiaks’ offensive balance and composure carried them to a 109–98 victory.

ACAC Player of the game:

LPK: #14 Jackson Wright 

Volleyball

Nov. 15 WVB | Kodiaks 0 vs KC Huskies 3 (16-25, 21-25, 14-25)

The Lethbridge Polytechnic Kodiaks women’s volleyball team battled hard in a straight-sets loss to the Keyano College Huskies, showing flashes of strong individual performances despite the 16–25, 21–25, 14–25 result. The Kodiaks opened with efficient attacking from Olivia Wideman (first year, Interior Design Technology, Calgary), who posted a .667 hitting percentage in her lone set, and steady contributions from Robyn Austin (second year, Business Administration, Lethbridge), who led the team with six kills on the night. Trinity Walton (second year, Criminal Justice – Policing, Warman, Sask.) provided an early spark as well, striking at a .444 clip and adding two service aces to keep the Kodiaks within reach during the tighter second set. Setter Reese Hanusich (fourth year, General Arts and Science, Red Deer) worked to spread the offence with 12 assists, helping the Kodiaks find rhythm in stretches as they pushed back against Keyano’s pressure.

The strongest offensive surge came from Jorja Hamilton (first year, General Arts and Science - Health Sciences, Meadow Lake, Sask.), who delivered a team-high seven kills and three aces, generating much of the Kodiaks’ momentum throughout the match. Defensively, Quincy Price (third year, General Arts and Science, Coaldale) anchored the backcourt with 13 digs, while Sofia Janzen (third year, Agriculture Sciences, Carseland, Alta.) andEmma Blumenschein (fourth year, Bachelor of Nursing, Spruce Grove, Alta.) each contributed at the net with a block assist apiece. Although the Kodiaks ultimately couldn’t slow the Huskies’ closing runs in each set, the individual efforts highlighted the team’s potential as they continue in their season.

ACAC Player of the game:

LPK: #8 Jorja Hamilton

Nov. 14 MVB | Kodiaks 3 vs LAKE Rustlers 0 (25-16, 25-23, 25-19)

The Lethbridge Polytechnic Kodiaks men’s volleyball team earned a strong straight-sets victory over the Lakeland College Rustlers, winning 25–16, 25–23, 25–19 to improve to 7–1 on the season. The Kodiaks’ offence was in rhythm from start to finish, led by standout performances from Ben Dyck (third year, Agricultural Sciences, Coaldale), who recorded 11 kills on .381 hitting with two aces, and Cameron Marshall (third year, Criminal Justice – Policing, Adelaide, South Australia), who added 10 kills while swinging at an efficient .364. Corny Bergen (first year, Business Administration, Picture Butte) provided additional firepower with eight kills and two aces of his own, helping Lethbridge control the pace in key stretches of all three sets. Setter Ben St. Pierre (fifth year, Open Studies, Red Deer) expertly directed the attack with 31 assists and even hit 1.000 on two attempts, while adding eight digs and a solo block to anchor the defensive effort.

Defensively, the Kodiaks were steady and composed, highlighted by Malcolm Fisher’s (fifth year, Open Studies, Lethbridge) team-leading 11 digs that kept rallies alive and frustrated the Rustlers’ attackers. At the net, Karl Petker contributed three block assists to go along with three kills, while Tristan Iwanczuk (first year, Business Administration, Lethbridge) added four kills on .333 hitting and an ace. Lethbridge’s balanced scoring of 38 total kills and six aces allowed them to dictate the match from the first serve, with their poise in tight second- and third-set moments solidifying the sweep. It was a complete team win that showcased the Kodiaks’ depth and reinforced their standing as one of the ACAC’s top programs.

ACAC Player of the game:

LPK: #2 Brady Ewart

Nov. 15 MVB | Kodiaks 0 vs KC Huskies 3 (20-25, 16-25, 27-29)

The Lethbridge Polytechnic Kodiaks suffered their first loss of the season in a hard-fought match against the nationally ranked Keyano College Huskies, falling 0–3 (20–25, 16–25, 27–29). Despite the result, the Kodiaks showed strong stretches of high-level play, particularly in a dramatic third set that nearly extended the match. Offensively, Marshall led the charge with 11 kills and an ace, while Dyck added nine kills to keep Lethbridge competitive against one of the toughest defensive teams in the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association. Bergen and Iwanczuk added efficient production at the net, with Iwanczuk hitting .364 and providing the team’s lone block of the night. Setter St. Pierre steered the offence with 27 assists and chipped in both a kill and an ace.

On the defensive side, the Kodiaks battled hard to match Keyano’s pace. St. Pierre and Fisher combined for 13 digs, helping extend points and keeping the Huskies’ offence from running away with momentum. Karl Petker (third year, Agricultural Sciences, Coaldale) added three kills, while Bergen and Dyck each contributed from the service line. Although Keyano ultimately closed out each set with late runs.

ACAC Player of the game:

LPK: #14 Corny Bergen