Volleyball Drops Season Opener To Rutgers

Friday, September 5

Fairfield, Conn.

3:00 PM

Dartmouth College

0-1,0-0Ivy League

Rutgers

2-2,0-0Big Ten

Dartmouth

Rutgers

9/5/2025 5:41:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

By: Dan Richeal

FAIRFIELD, Conn.—Dartmouth women's volleyball opened the 2025 season on Friday afternoon at the Sacred Heart Invitational. The Big Green took on Big Ten foe Rutgers in the opening match, the Big Green fell in three sets to the Scarlet Knights.

Set One (L, 25-10)

The opening set saw the teams trade points very early in the set. The Scarlet Knights took a 10-2 lead which forced a Dartmouth timeout. Following the timeout, Rutgers extended its lead and eventually took the set 25-10.

The Big Green tallied four kills in the opening set with Molly Power having a team high three on eight attacks. Kauany Gutz notched her first kill of 2025 while Ellie Mattox had all four assists. Emma Symon and Maddie LaFata teamed up for the lone Dartmouth block of the opening set.

Set Two (L, 25-12)

The teams traded points to open the second set with the score being tied at five after the first 10 points. Rutgers tallied the next three points to take an 8-5 lead, Dartmouth called a timeout to stop the run. After the timeout, Irmak Makasci gave the Big Green their sixth point of the set with a kill. Despite having high energy out of the timeout, Rutgers went on an 8-4 run to make it 18-11. Despite a second Dartmouth timeout, the Scarlet Knights took a 2-0 set lead with a 25-12 win.

Gutz led the Big Green in kills with three in the second set while Makasci had two. Both Sophia Gagnepain and Emma Symon had a kill in the set. Gagnepain had four assists in the set while Riley Imamura, Mattox, and Power also had an assist. Gutz and Symon combined for the only Dartmouth block in the set.

Set Three (25-15)

Dartmouth opened the third set with a block from LaFata and Power to take the first point of the set. Following the block, Rutgers took 10 of the next 15 points and took a 10-6 lead. Despite a hard-fought effort from the Big Green, the Scarlet Knights closed out the match with a 25-15 third set win.

Raeli Smith had two kills in the third set as she went 2-2 on attacks, first-year Zori Brown notched her first career kill in the third set while Power and LaFata each had a kill in the third set. Dartmouth had two blocks in the set as LaFata and Power combined for two blocks. Along with her first career kill, Brown notched her first career ace. Gagnepain had four assists in the set while ElleMae Fitzgerald also had an assist.

Dartmouth was led by the duo of Gutz and Power as Gutz had five points on four kills and two block assists. Power notched four kills had one block assist for 4.5 points. Gagnepain had a team high eight assists while Mattox notched five.

The Big Green continue the Sacred Heart Invitational on Saturday against LIU and Sunday against hosts Sacred Heart. Both matches are slated for 3 PM starts and can be seen on ESPN+.