Dartmouth Goes Undefeated at Sacred Heart Invite

Saturday, September 3

Fairfield, Conn.

10:00 AM

Dartmouth College

1-0

George Mason

0-4

Dartmouth

George Mason

Dartmouth Goes Undefeated at Sacred Heart Invite

9/3/2016 12:34:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Dartmouth

FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Dartmouth volleyball concluded the Sacred Heart Hampton Inn Invitational on Saturday with two more victories, defeating George Mason (25-23, 25-16, 25-22) and the host (26-24, 25-23, 27-25).

The Big Green returned home undefeated and are now 3-0 on the season.

Senior Emily Astarita accumulated 16 kills in the first match and 12 in the second to lead all teams throughout the day. Classmate Stacey Benton led in assists (17 vs. George Mason, 15 vs. Sacred Heart) and Danielle Glinka had a team-leading eight digs in the final match of the weekend.

At the conclusion of the invite, Astarita was named MVP and she and classmate Kaira Lujan were selected to the All-Tournament Team.

"I am so proud of our team for finishing strongly tonight," head coach Gilad Doron said. "It was a great match to watch against Sacred Heart and it was nice to see how we continue to grow as a unit. We were able to stay calm under pressure and make plays down the stretch each game to come from behind. We weren't perfect, but we built trust that helped us overcome many of their runs. We will work hard this week to improve and be ready for next weekend."

Against George Mason, Dartmouth took advantage of some mistakes by the opponent and some well-timed kills to win the first set in true come-from-behind fashion. Following an early run, the Patriots were looking at a 6-2 lead, but the Big Green managed to chip away at that edge with four straight points, tying the score at 11-all. Dartmouth and George Mason traded the lead until a 3-1 run on the other side of the net put a Patriot victory almost within reach (23-20). A kill apiece by Astarita and classmate Molly Kornfeind and three George Mason errors allowed Dartmouth to tie the score and then continue with the momentum to take the set, 25-23.

The beginning of the second set was close – with George Mason leading by a point or two – until 11 Dartmouth points, broken up by just three for the other team, put the Green comfortably ahead (18-11). The teams went back and forth and, with a 21-16 edge, Dartmouth shut the set down with four straight points off kills by Astarita and junior Sara Lindquist and a pair of George Mason errors.

Dartmouth was able to overcome a 10-5 deficit to win the third set and, although the Patriots took control in the early stages, it was the Big Green that shined as the battle continued. Trailing by five, Dartmouth won six of seven consecutive points to tie the score (11-11). The teams traded almost every single point and tied seven times, the last occurring at 19-all. The Green pulled away for the last time from there, thanks to a pair of kills by Lujan, a Patriot error and one kill by Astarita to make it 23-19. Three of the next four points went to George Mason, but one more kill by Lujan ended the match.

Sacred Heart was Dartmouth's toughest opponent all weekend. The Big Green and the Pioneers tied seven times before the eighth point, but four straight by Sacred Heart gave it a 12-8 edge. After trading a few points, the Green went on a small run, making it 15-14 in Dartmouth's favor. The Big Green remained ahead and, with a 23-18 lead, looked to be close to a win, until four straight by the Pioneers made it a one-point set (23-22). Lujan's kill made it match point (24-22), but Sacred Heart's pair of kills tied the score at 24-all. Two Pioneer errors were all that were needed to hand the first set to the Green, 26-24.

The second set was much like the first. With Sacred Heart ahead by a score of 3-2, Dartmouth scored six straight points to take an 8-3 lead and would remain comfortably ahead until the Pioneers tied the score at 17-all. The Green started to pull away (21-19), but Sacred Heart got itself right back in the game to tie the score (21-21). The two teams tied twice more (23-23) and a Pioneer error and a kill by Astarita gave the Big Green another win.

Lujan's kill gave the first point of the third set to Dartmouth and neither team had a definitive lead until two Sacred Heart errors and a kill apiece by Astarita and Kornfeind made it 8-4 in the Green's favor. The Pioneers quickly turned things around and went on a 6-2 run to close the gap (10-10). Dartmouth would get ahead on two Sacred Heart errors (12-10), but four consecutive points by the Pioneers gave the home team their first lead of the set (14-12).

The Big Green worked hard to not only catch up, but also overtake the host, thanks to kills by Astarita, sophomore Sierra Lyle and senior Lottie MacAulay (18-16). Dartmouth and Sacred Heart would tie six more times before the end of the set, with the Pioneers holding the lead for the majority of the set. With the Green ahead, 25-24, a Sacred Heart kill made it 25-25, but back-to-back kills by Glinka and Kornfeind wrapped things up.

The Green will return to action next Friday and Saturday, Sept. 9-10, when they host the two-day, nine-match Dartmouth Invitational against Army, Hartford, Niagara and Central Connecticut State.