It was a bittersweet weekend for the Dartmouth women's volleyball team. The team had the pleasure of beating Holy Cross on Sunday, 15-5, 15-7, 15-7, but the match also marked the last home performance for senior co-Captains Janene Ashford and Carmen Schmitt.
"This was a great way to end," Coach Ann Marie Larese said.
Ashford and Schmitt are the only players to have seen the program's evolution from club to varsity status that has occurred over the past three years.
"We have made huge strides individually and as a program these past three years," Ashford said.
The win extended the Big Green's (16-6) win streak to a school record nine games and leaves them one win shy of last year's record total. The Crusader's loss moved their record to a dismal 0-20.
Dartmouth started the match quickly, opening up a 10-1 lead thanks to two kills by Janna Merryfield '00. Later in the game, Ashford rejected a Crusader hit with a big block to push Dartmouth up 14-5, which put the game out of reach.
Larese mixed the lineups throughout the match, in an effort to make the day more fun for the entire team. Despite only playing in the first two games, Merryfield led the team with seven kills.
Game two opened fairly evenly, but the momentum swung rapidly in Dartmouth's direction when Schmitt went back to serve at 7-6. What ensued was a seven point run that extended the score to 14-6. During the run, Schmitt added two aces to her match total of three. A kill by middle blocker Danra Kazenski '99 closed out the game.
The third game featured the return of freshman middle blocker Anne Murray. Murray, who was a key player in the wins two weeks ago over Cornell and Columbia, dominated with five kills in the final game.
In the last moments of the match, it looked as though Ashford may have a chance to close out the home season on her serve, but after serving four consecutive points to take the game to 14-7, the Crusaders managed to slideout. The final point was to be had moments later, and now Dartmouth looks to big matches next weekend against Brown and Yale.
"The seniors played wonderfully tonight, and this win was a solid end to a very exciting home season this year," Kazenski said.
Although the match wasn't as tightly competitive as those of weekends past, Larese managed to play everyone who suited up, which definitely added to the enjoyment for all the players.
"It was a great match in the fact that everybody was able to participate," said Maria Stutsman y Marquez '98, whose four aces in the match increased her league leading average of .47 aces per game.
Schmitt summed up her Dartmouth volleyball experience. "Watching the program grow over four years has been an incredible learning experience that I would do all over again. Despite all the frustrating moments we've moved on to confidence and fun this year. Now we walk into the gym and the other teams feel like we did two years ago, they lack the confidence to win."
The matches at Brown and Yale on Friday and Saturday will determine the seeding for the first place Big Green going into the Ivy League Tournament on the weekend of Nov. 15.
