Baird Powers Big Green to First Place at Dartmouth Invitational

Saturday, September 17

Hanover, N.H.

1:00 PM

Dartmouth College

CCSU

Baird Powers Big Green to First Place at Dartmouth Invitational

9/17/2011 8:44:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

By: Dartmouth

HANOVER, N.H. — The Dartmouth volleyball team won both of its matches on Saturday to finish 3-0 at the Dartmouth Invitational to take the top spot at the event. The Big Green defeated Central Connecticut State, 3-0, and Delaware State by the same score. Senior Madeline Baird (Austin, Texas) was named tournament MVP. The two victories improved the Big Green to 8-3 on the season. CCSU fell to 6-5 and DSU dropped to 1-10.

Baird recorded double-digit kills in both contests and was joined on the all-tournament team by teammates Annie Villanueva (Santa Barbara, Calif.) and Alissa Santa Maria (Yorba Linda, Calif.).

Against the Blue Devils, the Big Green won with relative ease. Dartmouth took the first set, 25-19, the second, 25-19, and the third, 25-17. Baird had 10 kills and 15 digs. Freshman Alex Schoenberger (Corte Madera, Calif.) led Dartmouth with 14 kills and Villanueva had 13 kills. Santa Maria had 27 assists along with six digs.

In the victory over the Hornets, the Big Green cruised to a 25-14 win in the opening set, won the second, 25-15, and closed out the match with a 25-22 victory in the third set. Freshman Maura Manley (New Bedford, Mass.) had a match-high 16 kills and added four digs. Senior Amber Bryant (Libertyville, Ill.) led all players with 25 digs. Baird had another double-double with 10 kills and 10 digs.

The win over DSU marked the third straight sweep for the Big Green and the sixth of the season. The six 3-0 victories match the same total that Dartmouth had in all of 2010. Baird has recorded a double-double in seven consecutive matches dating back to last weekend.

For the weekend, Baird had 32 kills and 35 digs. Villanueva totaled 28 kills and eight total blocks. Santa Maria tallied 75 assists, eight service aces and 17 digs.

CCSU finished 2-1 on the weekend, Providence was 1-2 and Delaware State was 0-3.

Dartmouth opens Ivy League play next weekend when it travels to Harvard on Saturday, Sept. 24, at 5 p.m.