Broncos fight hard, but lose in four

On Friday evening at the Ralph Klein Center the Medicine Hat Rattlers (12-9) took down the Olds College Broncos (0-21) in a thrilling four set match (25-16, 28-26, 25-18, 25-20).

Vitor Pereira played a fantastic game for the Rattlers, connecting on 12 kills. Meanwhile Tyson Deschene connected on a game high 20 kills for the Broncos.  

The teams traded points early on in the first set as the Broncos were able to keep the third ranked team in the Southern Conference in check, as the teams found themselves in an 11-11 deadlock. From there, the Broncos would win nine of the next 12 points to take a 20-14 lead and force a Rattlers' timeout.

The Broncos would later take the first set after Braden Bates connected on a hit to take the set 25-17.

The Rattlers would come out stronger in the second, taking an 11-9 lead, but back-to-back Broncos points would make the score 11-11 for the second straight game. The Rattlers would take their lead back a short time later, forcing a Broncos timeout down 17-15.

The Broncos would take the next two points out of the timeout to knot the game back up at 17, which would become 19 a short time later.

With the score knotted at 24 a Jesse Stoddart hit attempt found a perfect block, but the following point Stoddart would deliver to tie the game back at 25. Ryan Dermott dove to the court on the following point attempting to dig a Rattlers' spike, but the ball would sail just inches wide of the line to give the Rattlers a match point.  

Tyson Deschene would save the game for the Broncos on the next point, making a huge kill to tie the game at 26. A few points later though Dechene's hit attempt would sail just long to give the Rattlers the second set, 28-26.

After jetting out to a 5-2 lead in the third set, the Broncos would drop the next five straight as head coach Ryan Marsden took a timeout to calm down his troops.

The Rattlers, though, were the better team in the set as Vitor Pereira had his way with the Broncos, delivering kill after kill as the Rattlers took a 19-13 lead. The Broncos would drop the set a few points later 25-18 on yet another Pereira kill.

The Rattlers came out hot in the fourth set as well, maintaining a three point lead for the first portion of the set before back to back Broncos points got them within one down 14-13.

The Rattlers would fight back, and would later take the final set 25-20.

The two teams will meet again tomorrow afternoon at 3 P.M. at the Ralph Klein Center.