Big Green Outlast Lions to Win Penultimate Match of 2019

Friday, November 15

Hanover, N.H.

7:00 PM

Dartmouth College

9-15,3-8Ivy League

Columbia

11-12,2-9Ivy League

Columbia

Dartmouth

Junior Elise Petit

Photo by: Doug Austin

Big Green Outlast Lions to Win Penultimate Match of 2019

11/15/2019 9:46:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

By: Charlotte Brackett

HANOVER, N.H. – After being down by two sets, Dartmouth volleyball worked its way back to tie the score and force a fifth set, ultimately defeating Columbia, 3-2 (21-25, 32-34, 25-17, 25-18, 15-12) at Leede Arena.

Junior Elise Petit had a double-double with 12 kills and 11 digs, while freshman Makenzie Arent had one of her own with a season-high 50 assists and 12 digs. Senior Carly Tower had a season-best nine total blocks.

"I thought we played poorly in game one, but had a couple chances to win set two, and, with our backs against the wall, we played two and a half very good sets," head coach Gilad Doron said. "We had five players with double figure digs and four with double-digit kills. Makenzie did an amazing job, and Fran and Carly were the reason we were able to open the offense and come away with a big win. We showed resiliency and hopefully, we can get another win tomorrow."

Dartmouth (9-15, 3-8) won the first two points of the first set off an Arent ace and a Lion error and held on to that lead until a 5-1 Columbia (11-12, 2-9) run put the visitor ahead, 9-7. The Big Green tried to keep it close, but the Lions always put a few more points between them. Trailing by a score of 23-19, Dartmouth added two more points from errors on the other side of the net before Columbia ended it (25-21).

The Lions won the first six points of the second set, but their run was ended with a kill by sophomore Nicole Liddle. The Green worked their way back and a 6-1 run tied things up (14-14). A 6-1 rally on the other side of the net gave it some breathing room (20-15), but a 7-2 Dartmouth run tied things up (22-22). Another Lion error and a kill by sophomore Francesca Meldrum gave the Green their first lead (24-23). An impressive nine ties later, Columbia won the set, 34-32.

The teams traded points at the beginning of the third and kept the score very close until Dartmouth started to distance itself and soon had an 18-12 edge. A 5-3 Columbia run got the visitors closer (21-17), but kills by Meldrum and freshman Taite Ryan, an ace by Liddle and one more Lion error gave the Big Green a win (25-17).

Dartmouth controlled the start of the four set and soon had a 7-3 advantage. A good run following kills by Liddle, Petit and Tower, and a block by Ryan and Meldrum made it a 15-8 set. Errors worked in the Green's favor and they further increased their lead (23-15). The Lions got a few more points, but one more kill by Meldrum sent the match to a fifth set (25-18).

It was Columbia who controlled the beginning of the fifth, jumping out to a 4-1 lead. Dartmouth started to catch up, and an ace by junior Lauren Douglas and some errors by the Lions tied things up, 6-6. The Green won six of the next seven points off kills by Tower and Petit, blocks by Arent and Tower, and an error by Columbia to take its first lead (12-7). The Lions had a 5-2 rally to get within two points, but a huge kill by Meldrum gave the win to Dartmouth (15-12).

The Green will close the 2019 season against Cornell on Saturday. Before the match, seniors Tower, Abby Kott, Corinne Cox and Maddy Schoenberger will be recognized.