Oct. 20, 2007

Box Score

NEW HAVEN, Conn.--Everyone who played contributed for the Yale volleyball team on Saturday afternoon, as the Bulldogs (11-5, 5-2 Ivy) toppled Columbia (3-15, 0-7 Ivy) 30-19, 30-24, 30-22 at the John J. Lee Amphitheater. It was Yale's third straight win and the Bulldogs' 11th consecutive victory over the Lions. Yale is now 30-3 all-time against Columbia.

"We did what we needed to do this weekend," Head Coach Erin Appleman said. "We knew what had to be done and executed our game plan effectively. It was nice to get contributions from so many different people."

Columbia took the early momentum in game one, breaking open a 4-4 tie with three points to make it 7-4. However, trailing 9-6, Yale scored 17 of the next 20 points to take a 23-12 lead. The Lions responded with a five-point run on Natalie Gerling's serve to make it 23-17, but the Bulldogs scored seven of the final nine points and cruised to an easy 30-19 game one win. Yale hit an impressive .464 (16 kills, three errors, 28 attempts) in the game.

The Lions took the early lead again in game two, pulling out to a 7-5 edge. The Bulldogs scored the next two points to force a 7-7 tie, then took control with a 4-0 run that turned a 9-9 tie into a 13-9 Yale advantage. Yale used another long scoring clip to effectively put the game away, this time scoring eight out of nine points to go up 20-12. Trailing 25-16, Columbia used a 4-0 run to get within 25-20, but the Bulldogs' lead was never really challenged in a 30-24 win.

Columbia raced out to another early lead in game three, scoring the first three points. Yale eventually built a 12-7 lead, but the Lions came roaring back to take a 13-12 advantage. After Yale tied it at 13-13, the Bulldogs rallied for four straight points to go in front 17-13. Consecutive Kelly Ozurovich service aces sparked another five-point rally that all but sealed the deal. Freshmen Katie Fitzpatrick and Kate Parker were given a chance to make an impact during game three, and each rose to the challenge. Fitzpatrick had two kills and a solo block, while Parker registered a kill and three assists. Fitzpatrick's kill set up match point, and Nicole Perkins put it away with her 12th kill of the match. The final score of game three was 30-22.

Twelve different Bulldogs posted at least one kill, while nine Yale players had a dig and eight contributed to a block. Perkins paced the Yale offense with 12 kills on .310 hitting. Ozurovich had 14 digs, while Kristen Wilk added a career-high 10. Ally Mendenhall posted five kills on .556 hitting, seven digs and a career-high four aces to go along with 27 assists. Julia Mailander registered five kills, five digs and three assists, while her twin sister Lydia Mailander posted three kills, five digs and a career-high four aces. Allison Kaptur notched four blocks. Yale hit .261 (41-12-111) as a team and had nine team blocks.

Amalia Viti had 12 kills for the Lions. Gerling recorded eight kills and six digs, while Cassie Ligh added seven kills and a match-high 16 digs. Ellie Thomas tallied 15 digs for Columbia. Shannon Hunzicker dished out 27 assists and added five digs and two aces. Columbia hit .074 (37-28-121) in the match.

The Ivy League schedule now turns over, as each team faces everyone else a second time. The Bulldogs open the second half of the league season next weekend when they conclude their four-match homestand. Yale hosts Harvard (7-13, 2-6 Ivy) Friday at 7 p.m. and Dartmouth (12-6, 5-3 Ivy) Saturday at 4 p.m. Earlier this season, the Bulldogs defeated the Crimson 3-0 one night after losing 3-0 to the Big Green.

Report filed by Joe Clifford, Yale Sports Publicity