Resurgent Big Green Top Seton Hall in Five, Campbell Earns First Win

Friday, September 8

Hanover, N.H.

6:30 PM

Dartmouth College

1-3,0-0Ivy League

Seton Hall

5-2,0-0Big East

Seton Hall

Dartmouth

Kauany Gutz ’26

Photo by: Chloe Broeker

Resurgent Big Green Top Seton Hall in Five, Campbell Earns First Win

9/8/2023 9:55:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Photo Gallery

Dartmouth faced match point in the fourth, but stormed back to avenge last season’s loss to the Pirates

By: Kyle Relf

HANOVER, N.H. — Kevin Maureen Campbell earned her first victory as Dartmouth's head coach as the Big Green topped Seton Hall, 3-2 (25-22, 18-25, 16-25, 28-26, 15-13), on the opening day of the Dartmouth Invitational in front of an energetic Leede Arena crowd on Friday evening.

Dartmouth picked up its first win of the season, improving to 1-3, while Seton Hall fell to 5-2. The victory avenged a four-set loss the Big Green suffered to the Pirates a season ago.

"I'm very proud of the team, and some of the things we've been working on since the start of preseason began to pay off," Campbell said. "Every day in practice, we talk about staying present and controlling what we can control. It takes practice and it's a skill, and it paid off for us in those high-pressure moments."

Natalie Grover led a balanced Dartmouth offense with 12 kills, while Bomi Ogunlari recorded an efficient nine-kill performance, hitting .444, in addition to her team-high four blocks. Makenzie Arent recorded a double-double with team-highs in both assists (22) and digs (17). Seton Hall was paced by Madeline Matheny's match-high 13 kills and Madison Klungel's nine blocks.

Dartmouth faced match point twice in the fourth set, but one of Kauany Gutz's 11 kills, followed by three straight Seton Hall errors, helped Dartmouth force a fifth. The Big Green never trailed in the deciding game, racing to a 6-2 advantage, and later fending off the Pirates' late attempt at a run. Ogunlari's kill served as the clincher as the Leede Arena crowd erupted and the Big Green tallied their first win under Campbell.

A close first-set victory for Dartmouth set the stage for what would be a neck-and-neck affair down the stretch. The Big Green faced an 8-7 deficit, but quickly reclaimed the lead and eventually seized the momentum entirely with kills by Gutz and Grover, followed by an Amelia Gibbs ace, resulting in a 13-8 lead. A three-point run by Seton Hall had the visitors back within three (23-20), but Ava Roberts came through with a clutch kill to seal the set.

Seton Hall hit over .300 in the next two sets as Dartmouth stumbled with sub .100 performances to find itself facing a 2-1 deficit entering the fourth, when the Big Green would flip the script and hold the Pirates to a .024 clip. The strong defensive effort was highlighted by back-to-back blocks from Ogunlari and Emma Sinclair, which tied the set at 22-22.

Consecutive kills Gibbs, Gutz and Grover delivered a 6-2 Big Green advantage in the fifth and although Seton Hall would later climb within one (14-13), Dartmouth was not to be outdone in front of its home crowd.

Hear from head coach Kevin Maureen Campbell after her first Dartmouth win!

Congratulations, coach! #TheWoods🌲 | #GoBigGreen pic.twitter.com/qAtciutfOU
— Dartmouth Volleyball (@DartmouthVBall) September 9, 2023

The Big Green are back in action for the second day of the Dartmouth Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 9, hosting Stonehill at 10:30 a.m. and Hofstra at 6:30 p.m. Seton Hall will square off with Hofstra at 12:30 p.m. and Stonehill at 4:30 p.m. Hofstra earned a four-set win over Stonehill in Friday's opening match.

All matches, including non-Dartmouth matches, are streamed live on ESPN+ with Brandon Bojarsky on the call and live stats are available via DartmouthSports.com.

NOTES: Dartmouth didn't play a five-set match for the entirety of the 2022 season and has now played two in just four matches during the young 2023 campaign.