Dartmouth Downs Columbia on Senior Night

Saturday, November 5

Hanover, N.H.

5:00 PM

Dartmouth College

Columbia

Dartmouth honored its five seniors prior to the start of the match.

Photo by: Bryan LaFountaine

11/5/2022 8:04:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

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The Big Green were victorious in four sets to finish the unbeaten weekend at Leede Arena

By: Kyle Relf

HANOVER, N.H. — Having clinched a spot in the inaugural Ivy League Tournament on Friday, the Dartmouth volleyball team added another win to its resume with a 3-1 (18-25, 28-26, 25-13, 25-23) triumph over Columbia Saturday evening at Leede Arena after the program honored its five seniors.

With only two matches remaining until postseason play, the Big Green improved to 16-6 (8-4), while Columbia fell to 5-16 (2-10). Eight Ivy League wins marks Dartmouth's highest total since 2015, and the most under head coach Gilad Doron.

"It's always emotional on Senior Night," Doron said. "So many players came in and made a difference. Ali Silva was a huge difference maker, both serving and defending. Columbia came out fast and we had to dig deeper. Now we have to prepare for Yale and Brown, and then the Ivy League Tournament."

Columbia delivered the opening punch with a first-set victory, but was unable to hold off the Big Green, who rank in the nation's top-15 in aces per set and tallied double-digit aces for the fifth time this season. The second set, which marked the start of the comeback, featured six of Dartmouth's 10 aces. Silva and Emma Engstrom led the charge at the service line with four aces apiece.

Amelia Gibbs paced Dartmouth offensively with nine kills on just 16 attacks (.563). Engstrom tallied 15 digs, while Makenzie Arent celebrated her Senior Night with 25 assists and 10 digs for her fourth double-double of the season.

Dartmouth didn't find its groove in the opening set, eventually falling 25-18. Eva Atkins back-to-back kills gave Columbia an early lead and though the Big Green punched back with four straight kills, including two by Ellie Blain, late in the set, it wasn't enough to overcome the deficit.

The Big Green emerged victorious in a back-and-forth second set, 28-26, to draw even. Columbia led 19-15 and looked ready to take another, but a six-point run highlighted by two Piper Stevens kills and Silva's consecutive aces lifted the Big Green to a 23-21 advantage. A few errors allowed the Lions to earn a 26-25 edge. Dartmouth tied the set after an attack error, took a one-point lead on Blain's kill, then sealed it with a block by Ava Roberts and Blain.

Dartmouth used that momentum to race out to an early 8-2 lead and led by as many as 12 later on, and two sides traded points until the 25-13 decision delivered by Stevens' kill. Dartmouth registered a .458 hitting percentage with 14 kills in the dominant effort.

The Lions threatened a fifth set when they took a 21-19 lead in the fourth with Kiara Robichaud's kill, but the Big Green earned three of the final four points thanks to kills by Bomi Ogunlari and Roberts, and Columbia service error at match point.

Winners of six of the last seven, Dartmouth travels to Yale Friday, Nov. 11. The match begins at 7 p.m. and will be streamed on ESPN+.