Volleyball to be No. 3 seed at Ivy tourney
The Dartmouth Women's Volleyball team looks to finish off its historic season this weekend at the Ivy League Tournament. The team will travel to Yale today to prepare for the end of the season tournament which begins Friday. The tournament will determine the Ivy League champion.
For the Big Green, the tournament represents their best chance ever to gain the top spot in the Ivies. With a 5-2 Ivy League record during the regular season, the team earned the third seed in the tournament, their highest seeding ever.
The team has already carved their names into the Big Green record books this season, winning a team high 20 matches and defeating Yale for the first time in its history.
Dartmouth will face the sixth seeded University of Pennsylvania in the first round of the double-elimination tournament on Friday night. Their second match opponent will be determined by the Big Green's own success in the first match, as well as the success of the other teams in the tourney.
The Big Green defeated the Quakers on their own home court one month ago, handily defeating Penn in three games. Janna Merryfield '00 led the Big Green on offense and defense, posting 12 kills and 16 digs in the match.
Dartmouth made an early exit from last year's tournament, losing to Harvard and Yale in their first two matches. Since then, the Big Green have defeated both those teams, pummeling Harvard in the spring season and chopping down the Elis just a few weeks ago.
"It's all about attitude," Maria Stutsman y Marquez '98 said. "Last year taught us that we need to go in and be aggressive. These teams aren't just going to hand us a win."
Dartmouth boasts an all around attack that none can rival when things are clicking for them. The team leads the league in kill percentage, as well as in digs per game.
Though set back by injuries in the past week, the team appears to be close to healthy entering the most important weekend of their season. Junior starters Felicity Kolp '99 and Danra Kazenski '99, who both have been sidelined by injuries over the past week, will be ready to play come Friday night.
"We need to have an aggressive focus and always go after it,"
"This weekend is so crucial," Kazenski said. "It's our last chance for romance."
With three graduating seniors, all who receive considerable playing time, the the time is now for Dartmouth.
"We want to get this done now," Kazenski said.
The Big Green has already made history with their season. Their quest to add an asterisk to their season begins Friday night.
