NORTHFIELD, Minn. – The Carleton volleyball team dropped a pair of matches to Hamline University and the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse on Saturday at West Gym as part of the Carleton Triangular. The Knights fell to Hamline in straight sets to open the day before forcing four sets in a 3-1 loss to UW-La Crosse.
Match 1 – Carleton 0, Hamline 3
Carleton opened the first two sets with efficient offense but could not close either frame, falling 25-23, 25-23, 25-17 in the opening match of the day.
Despite hitting .371 in the opening set, the Knights trailed 18-13 late in the opening frame. A string of five straight points brought the score back to even (18-18), a run that was opened with back-to-back kills from junior Kate Wiczynski. The Pipers responded and took the lead once again (24-21). Carleton came back to narrow the score 24-23 on kills from senior Sylvia Dixon and first-year Sami Torresin, but Hamline scored the final point to take the opening set 25-23.
The Maize and Blue surged ahead in the early going of the second set, jumping out to a 15-11 lead on the heels of a 6-2 run that saw four different Knights register a kill. Carleton still led 20–18 after one of Dixon's six kills in the frame, but Hamline answered with consecutive kills from Grace Bathurst to tie things up (20-20). The Pipers went on to score four of the final five points of the set to take it 25-23 and flex a 2-0 advantage in the match.
Carleton held the first three points of the third set as well — two of them via Sami Torresin and junior setter Megan Smith connections — but Hamline's serve pressure (six aces in the match) turned the momentum quickly. The Knights were within 9-8 before a 9–1 Piper run all but put the set out of reach (18-9). The visitors went on to take the third set 25-17 to complete the sweep.
Dixon led Carleton with nine kills and added six digs. First-year Ella Goolsby added nine kills of her own, while Torresin finished with eight kills. Smith delivered 33 assists and two kills. First-year ibero Angelina Erhardt posted 16 digs, and senior Isabel Macia added nine.
Match 2 – Carleton 1, UW-La Crosse 3
In the second match of the day, Carleton fell in the first, but surged back to take a marathon second set, ultimately falling 20–25, 27–25, 21–25, 15–25 to visiting UW–La Crosse.
UWL opened the match on a 6–1 run, but Carleton responded with a 7-2 run to even the score 8-8. The run was highlighted by a pair of kills from Goolsby and the Knights were back in business. The Eagles regained separation thanks to an 8-1 run that gave the visitors a 24-16 lead and closed the set 25–20 despite a late flurry from the Knights.
Carleton's best volleyball came in the second set. Trailing 9-8, the Knights rattled off five consecutive points to take a 13-9 lead. The Maize and Blue held the lead into the late stages of the set, holding a 22-20 advantage when the Eagles scored four unanswered to take a 24-22 lead and put the home team on the ropes. But the Knights and senior Sylvia Dixon were up to the task. Dixon racked up three straight kills to give her team a 25-24 lead. After La Crosse scored to tie the frame, Dixon added another kill before Megan Smith finished off the set with an ace to stamp it final 27-25 and even the match.
The third set featured eight ties before a run for the Eagles midway through gave the visitors the advantage for good. The run came with a 15-13 score in favor of the Knights when UWL rattled off seven straight to take a 20-15 lead and never looked back. From there, the Eagles held on to take the frame 25–21. The Eagles carried that momentum into the fourth, building an early 13–4 advantage. UWL ran away from there to close out the match 25–15.
Dixon led all players with 18 kills while hitting .474. Wiczynski finished with seven kills, and Goolsby chipped in six. Setter Megan Smith totaled 34 assists and nine digs for a near double-double. Libero Angelina Erhardt anchored the defense with 20 digs and sophomore Madeleine Dimitre added nine as well.
Up Next for the Knights
Carleton will take to the road for a pair of matches next week. The Knights travel to St. Paul to take on Macalester on Friday night at 7pm before a Saturday night showdown with St. Catherine at 5pm. Carleton will then close out the season at home against Saint Benedict on Senior Night on Saturday, Nov. 8 at 5pm in West Gym.
