Dartmouth Women's Volleyball Records Huge Victory Over Yale on Senior Day

Saturday, November 7

Hanover, N.H.

4:00 PM

Dartmouth College

YALE (parent's weekend and senior day)

Dartmouth Women's Volleyball Records Huge Victory Over Yale on Senior Day

11/7/2009 9:29:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

By: Dartmouth

HANOVER, N.H. - The Dartmouth women's volleyball team allowed one of the top teams in the Ivy League to win just one set as the Big Green defeated Yale, 3-1 on Saturday in Leede Arena. The Bulldogs won the first set, 25-20 but the Big Green stormed back and won the next three, 25-13, 25-23, 25-20.

Dartmouth seemed to catch Yale on its heels early in the first set as the Big Green led early, 7-5. But the two sides stayed close through the next couple of points as neither team could get much of a lead going. The Bulldogs took their first lead off an incredibly long point that put them ahead, 17-14. Yale steadily began to pull away, leading by as much as six, 22-16. Dartmouth got four more points but it wasn't enough as the Bulldogs came away with a 25-20 win.

The Big Green took an early lead, 6-2 in Set Two as Yale had to burn a timeout. Krista Merchat (Carlsbad, Calif.) killed the next point for Dartmouth to take a 7-2 lead before the Bulldogs finally got a sideout. A huge solo block by Morgan Covington (Katy, Texas) continued to help the Big Green's momentum as Dartmouth took a seven-point lead midway through the set. Two sides traded sideouts for the next several points before a block by Annie Villanueva (Santa Barbara, Calif.) and Merchat gave the Big Green an 18-9 lead and the Bulldogs had to call another timeout. Coming out of the break, another block by Villanueva and Merchat had the momentum clearly on the home team's side. A solo block by Madeline Baird (Austin, Texas) gave Dartmouth it's largest lead of the game, 22-9. Covington recorded the final kill for the Big Green as Dartmouth evened the match at a set apiece.

The Big Green's momentum carried over to the third set as Dartmouth was up by as much as four in the early going. A block by Baird and Villanueva had the Big Green leading, 6-1. Yale began to capitalize on a couple Dartmouth errors as the Bulldogs began to march back. With the set tied at eight, Baird killed a point to give the Big Green the lead back as Covington killed another point. Yale refused to led Dartmouth out of its sights as neither team could manage more than a one or two point lead. The Bulldogs recorded three straight points to take a 14-12 lead as the Big Green called a timeout to try and regroup. Co-captain MacGregor came out from the break and helped tie the set up as Villanueva killed the point that allowed the home team to pull ahead again. The two sides continued to trade the lead back and forth for the rest of the set before a huge kill by Villanueva put Dartmouth up by one, 20-19 as Yale took a timeout. Coming out of the break a block assist by Alissa Santa Maria (Yorba Linda, Calif.) and Villanueva gave the Big Green a three-point lead as the Bulldogs were trying to close the gap. A kill by Yale's Bridget Hearst tied the set at 23-all before MacGregor and Merchat killed the final two points for the 25-23 victory.

Set Four had the Big Green pulling out early much like the previous sets played. Dartmouth continued to pull ahead, going up by five before Yale slowly began to march back. Up by just two, the Big Green took a timeout to regroup. Dartmouth held on to its slim lead, never allowing Yale closer than two before the Bulldogs marched back with several service aces, tying the set at 16 before the home team called timeout. MacGregor had a huge kill at 18-16 to get the crowd on its feet but the Bulldogs tied things up at 18. Playing point for point the set remained exciting as both teams had big kills for points. MacGregor had a side-arm kill for a point before recording a block with Villanueva to put the Big Geen up by two, 23-20. Baird slammed the ball onto Yale's side of the net for the final kill as Dartmouth won, 25-20.

Baird led both teams with a double-double of 19 kills and 23 digs whiel MacGregor recorded a double-double herself with 12 kills and 22 digs. Villanueva was unbelievable at the net with a career-high six total blocks while chipping in 10 kills. Jessie Hartman (Woodside, Calif.) and Amber Bryant (Libertyville, Ill.) each had double-figure digs with 15 and 11, respectively.

The Big Green will close out its season on the road with two matches at Princeton and league-leading Penn on Nov. 13 and 14.