The volleyball team dropped two games this weekend, after a heart-breaking loss to Dartmouth on Friday night and a less competitive matchup against Harvard the following afternoon. The Bears' record this season dropped to 5-17 overall and 1-10 in the Ivy League.
"We played really well against Dartmouth, but unfortunately we just didn't play well as a team on Saturday against Harvard," said Head Coach Diane Short. "Liz Mueller ('10) came in for us on Friday and did a really nice job, with four kills and four aces. And Megan Toman ('11) has been playing consistently well."
Dartmouth 3, Brown 2
Though they beat Dartmouth earlier this season, the Bears were less successful this time, battling to a devastating 3-2 loss. Dartmouth improved to 10-11 this season and 6-5 in the Ivy League.
The Bears were off to a good start in the first set with an early 11-7 lead, but the Big Green fought back to tie the game at 23. Back-to-back kills by Brianna Williamson '11 and Toman pushed Brown to a 25-23 victory, and a 1-0 lead in the match.
Dartmouth retaliated in the following two sets, earning 25-10 and 25-22 victories for a 2-1 lead. The Bears, now facing a must-win fourth set, stepped it up to tie the match at two.
Although the Big Green led the fourth set 13-10, a 6-3 run by the Bears brought them back into the game, tying it at 16. After fighting point for point for much of the set, the Bears pulled out a 25-19 win, pushing the match into a fifth set. Brown's momentum diminished in the deciding set, as they fell to Dartmouth, 15-8.
Williamson led the Bears on attack with 15 kills and an additional 19 digs and two assists. Katrina Post '13 supplemented the effort with 14 kills and eight digs, while Carly Cotton '13 anchored the defense with a team-high 23 digs. Annika Gliottone '12 had 40 assists in the setter position, as well as 13 digs.
Harvard 3, Brown 0
The Bears were less successful the following afternoon, as they fell in three sets to Harvard. Despite a tight first set, the Crimson came out on top by a 25-22 margin and carried the momentum through the rest of the match. Brown was defeated in the second set, 25-14, and 25-17 in the third.
Post and Toman carried the offense with eight kills apiece. Gliottone put up 17 assists and five digs, while co-captain Danielle Vaughan '11 recorded six kills and a team-high three blocks.
Harvard improved to 11-12 overall and 7-5 in the Ivy League.
The Bears will finish out their season in the next week as they play Cornell Friday night, Columbia in the Senior Day matchup on Saturday afternoon and a final match against Yale on Tuesday.
"We have Senior Day this Saturday and I certainly look forward to seeing how the team will play in celebration of the seniors," said Short.
