SCORE: Dartmouth 3, UAlbany 2 (25-21, 24-26, 19-25, 25-10, 15-12)
 
LOCATION: UConn Volleyball Center - Storrs, Conn.
 
RECORDS: UAlbany 3-3, 0-0 America East | Dartmouth 3-1, 0-0 Ivy League
 
SHORT STORY: The Great Danes opened their third tournament run with a gripping five-set battle against Dartmouth, Friday evening.
 
COACH JOSH PICKARD: "It was a tough match tonight. I think we played great defense and really put service pressure on them. Now, we have to generate a bit more offense to see that match come out the other way."
 
KEY STATS

• Redshirt-junior Shynelle Woroniuk led the Great Dane offense with 15 kills.
• Graduate student Elisavet Papageorgiou followed behind Woroniuk with seven kills on a .389 hitting percentage and helped the defense with six digs.
• Redshirt-sophomore libero Brooke Malek had a match-high with 31 digs for the Great Danes' defense.
• Freshman setter Maria Olga Saipani led among both teams with 35 assists and contributed to the defense with 18 digs.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• UAlbany started strong before going on a 6-2 run, fueled by kills from outside hitters Shynelle Woroniuk and junior Anna Myhal, to take a 15-12 lead.
• Dartmouth responded with a critical 6-1 run to tie the score at 18-18.
• The Great Danes fought back but the Big Green's momentum carried them through to secure the set, 25-21.
• UAlbany and Dartmouth battled back and forth early in the second set with the Great Danes holding a slim 14-12 advantage after a strong defensive effort.
• The Big Green went on a 5-1 run to lead 24-22. UAlbany fought off two set-points to tie it at 24-24 but Dartmouth held firm and ended the set, 26-24.
• The Great Danes came out aggressive in the third set and built an early 7-4 lead with key kills from Woroniuk and Myhal.
• UAlbany maintained control throughout the set and never allowed Dartmouth to gain the advantage.
• The Great Danes sealed set three, 25-21, while showing resilience heading into the fourth set.
• The Big Green dominated right from the start of the fourth set with a 10-3 scoring run.
• UAlbany struggled to regain momentum as Dartmouth extended the lead to 18-6.
• The Big Green gained a 25-10 victory in the set to send the match to a winner-takes-all set five.
• The Great Danes came out firing with a 7-3 lead.
• Dartmouth managed to come back to tie the set at 10-10.
• The teams traded points until the Big Green took control at 13-12 and closed out the match, 15-12.

 
NEXT: The Great Danes take on Delaware State and UConn to close out the Dog Pound Challenge tomorrow, September 14.
 
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