NORTHFIELD, Minn.— Despite taking the opening set 25-23, the Carleton volleyball team's bid to upset MIAC league leading Hamline came up short Friday evening at West Gym (23-25 25-9, 25-19, 25-15).
Annelise Sokolow (So./Draper, Utah/Juan Diego Catholic) led the Knights with 12 kills and hit a team-best .263, while
Jancyn Appel (Kansas City, Mo./The Pembroke Hill School) added nine kills and hit .200 to lead the Carleton offensive attack.
The Knights (6-16, 1-7 MIAC) tallied 16 kills and hit .238 in a 25-23 first set win over the first-place Pipers (17-5, 7-1). Sokolow, who entered the match ranked 11th in the MIAC with 2.84 kills-per-set, came out on fire with seven kills in the opening stanza. After dropping the first point in the set, Carleton never trailed again in the set en route to a 25-23 win and 1-0 lead in the match.
Carleton could not sustain the momentum, however, as Hamline took the following two sets to earn a 2-1 match lead. Both teams played even through the first portion of the fourth set, and the Knights took a 9-8 lead after a block from middle
Naiya Karl (Jr./Fargo, N.D./South). Hamline responded with a 6-0 scoring run to push the score a 14-9. Consecutive kills from Sokolow and Appel kept the Knights alive late in the set, but Carleton would get no closer as the Pipers close out the set, 25-16, and earn the win.
Carleton hit .109 for the match compared to .309 for Hamline. The Pipers, who entered the match leading the MIAC in total services aces, held an 8-5 advantage in that category.
Inger Shelton (Sr./San Diego, Calif./La Jolla) paced Carleton with 28 assists, while adding a team-high 16 digs and three kills.
Grace Perret (Fy./Green Bay, Wis./Preble) tallied six kills to go along with 11 digs and two aces. Karl's two blocks led the Knights.
Up Next for the Knights
The Knights have a quick turnaround, as they return to West Gym tomorrow, hosting St. Scholastic and UW-Platteville for a triangular. The Knights play CSS at 1:00 p.m. followed by a match against UW-Platteville at 5:00 p.m.
