BOX SCORE
New Britain, CT ? The Hartford volleyball team evened its record with a five game loss to Dartmouth as it opened play at the CCSU Invitational on Friday night. The Hawks recovered to force a fifth game after trailing in the fourth game but fell short in the final set 15-12. The Hawks are now 4-4 overall and will play two matches tomorrow. Dartmouth is now 1-3 with the victory.
Hartford used a late three-point run in the first game to tie the score at 26 before the Big Green pulled ahead for good to take the first game by a 30-27. Hartford then had to battle from behind in the second game. A six-point run, including two aces, in the early going gave the Big Green a 10-4 lead. Hartford used mini runs to pull the lead back where it needed it before a four-point run, which included three Dartmouth errors and a Teri Connolly kill put the Hawks up by a 25-19 margin. Despite late urges for the Big Green, the Hawks took the second game by a 31-29 margin.
The Big Green caught the Hawks in a daze in the third game, winning a 30-13 game. Hartford recovered in the fourth game to open up to a 4-0 lead, which included a kill from Connolly and another from Jennifer Monroy. A four-point run for the Big Green allowed them to take a one point lead before Connolly kill evened the score at nine. Neither team took more than a three-point lead for the remainder of the game, but Hartford battled tough in the late moments forcing the fifth and deciding game with a 33-31 final.
In the final game the teams traded points until the Big Green got back-to-back kills from Nadine Parris to take a 12-9 lead. Despite last minute kills from Monroy and Erin Macro the Hawks fell short by a 15-12 margin, giving the Big Green their first victory of the season.
Hartford was led by a double double effort for Monroy who finished with a team best 16 kills and 13 digs. She was joined in the double digit kills category by Connolly, who finished with 13. Connolly finished the game as the teams leading hitter with a .379 attack percentage (13k, 2e, 29ta). Sarah Rasor continued to run the offense, this time finishing with 35 assists. The Hawks defense was led by Lauren Flores who finished with 17 digs, one of four players with double digit digs.
Hartford will continue action at the CCSU Invitational on Saturday when they meet the host Blue Devils at 10:00 a.m. and then take on the Quinnipiac Bobcats at 5:30 p.m. to close out the tournament.
