Dartmouth Volleyball Drops Its First Ivy Game of the Season

Saturday, October 13

Ithaca, N.Y.

4:00 p.m.

Dartmouth College

Cornell

Former Dartmouth Standout Returns as Assistant Coach

Dartmouth Volleyball Drops Its First Ivy Game of the Season

10/13/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball

By: Dartmouth

Boxscore

ITHACA, N.Y. - The Dartmouth women's volleyball team was upset by Cornell on Saturday afternoon at Newman Arena. The Big Red won, 3-2, ending the Big Green's league winning streak as Dartmouth had yet to lose a match or a game to a league opponent. Game scores were 30-32, 30-19, 30-27, 28-30, 12-15. Katie Hirsch (Austin, Texas) led the Big Green with a triple-double (10 kills, 59 assists, 12 digs). The loss drops Dartmouth to 12-4, 5-1 Ivy while Cornell improves to 6-10, 3-2 Ivy.

In the first game an exciting opening had Cornell coming from behind to stun Dartmouth, 30-32. The Big Red took an early lead in the game but four straight points by Hirsch helped her team pull even. Amanda Marston (Austin, Texas) served to help Dartmouth pull ahead before a Cornell timeout. After the break a kill and a Dartmouth attacking error gave the Big Red the opening victory.

In the second game Frances Samolowicz (St. Charles, Ill.) got her team started off right by serving eight straight points to give the Big Green an early lead. Blocks by Jess Thomas (Jess Thomas) and Megan MacGregor (Carlsbad, Calif.) helped increase Dartmouth's lead to 11-4. Sandy Barbut (Los Angeles, Calif.) continued the pressure as she served four points to bring the overall lead to 18-7. The Big Red started marching back with four straight serves bringing them within five at 14-19. With Hirsch serviing, kills by Morgan Covington (Katy, Texas), MacGregor and Barbut allowed the Big Green to pull out to a 22-16 lead. A block by Barbut gave Dartmouth the final point in the game as the Big Green tied the match at a game apiece.

"We were inconsistent throughout this match," said head coach Ann Marie Larese. "Our service game really seemed to take them out of the second game and that helped us get some motivation back. They got us on our heels a little, they served things we hadn't seen. I think this game will be a wakeup call for us because Cornell was a hungry team that was going to do what it took to win and we made some mistakes that allowed them to capitalize."

The third game was tight in the early going as neither team was able to gain the upper hand. After three straight Cornell points that gave the Big Red an 11-8 lead, Dartmouth took a timeout that allowed the Big Green to recoup and tie the score. The two teams then traded sideouts until several kills by freshman Kelsey Johnson (Carlsbad, Calif.) gave Dartmouth a two-point lead at 25-23. The Big Green kept its lead for the rest of the contest as a Big Red serving error gave Dartmouth the victory and a two-game lead.

The fourth game had Cornell taking an early lead at 11-5. Marston helped her team come back, by serving or helping her team get six points. Cornell was able to pull ahead but Dartmouth fought back and the second half of the game was then point for point. The Big Green was able to hold Cornell at game point three times before a Dartmouth error gave the Big Red the victory.

In the final game three straight points by the Big Green gave them a 4-1 lead before Cornell tied the game at 4-all. A Cornell timeout with the game tied at five had the Big Red coming out to take an 8-6 lead. Two kills by MacGregor tied the game at nine but Cornell again took a three-point lead before the Big Green took a timeout. Cornell got the win after several Dartmouth errors and two Big Red kills.

Cornell outhit Dartmouth in three of the five games but the Big Green was tops with a .241 hitting percentage compared to .210 by the home team. Hirsch was one of four Dartmouth players in double-digit kills as four players recorded double-doubles. Thomas had 11 kills and 17 digs while Barbut added 15 kills and 17 digs. MacGregor had 15 kills with 13 digs while Marston led her squad with 21 digs. Thomas and MacGregor each had three service aces as Dartmouth aced the Big Red 12 times.

The Big Green is back in action next weekend at home, hosting Penn and league-leading Princeton on Homecoming weekend. Game time against the Quakers on Friday will be at 5:00 pm while the Tigers come to Leede Arena for a 4:00 pm match on Saturday.