WESTMINSTER, Md. - The Dickinson volleyball team got a team-high 15 kills from senior
Emma Popham to aid in the Red and White collecting their first Centennial Conference win of the season as they knocked off the host McDaniel College 3-2 inside the Gill Center.
The visitors got out to a solid start as
Amelia Kim,
Mathilde Verbitsky and Popham gave DC a 6-4 advantage. A pair of kills from
Alexa Barowski and a single by Kim allowed the Devils to maintain a two-point cushion at 10-8, before McDaniel took five of the ensuing six to jump ahead 13-11. However, Dickinson answered back in a strong way with
Avery Lewis,
Eliette Whittaker, Barowski, Popham and Verbitsky organizing a 7-3 outburst to regain the lead at 18-16. However, the home side responded in a big way as Kenzie Mitchell, Angalyn Strouse and Kailey Young embarked on a 9-3 run to end the first 25-21.
Barowski, Popham, Verbitsky and Whittaker supplied the offense for DC early in the second as the Green Terror stormed out to a 14-6 advantage. Dickinson battled back though as
Ann Marie Patterson, Popham and Whittaker accounted for six of the next eight points to cut the deficit to 16-12. The two sides traded the following eight points which allowed the home side to win the race to 20 (20-16). This time it would be the Devils who went on a late set charge going on a 9-2 rampage thanks to points from Barowski, Kim, Popham, Verbitsky and Whittaker to grab the frame 25-22.
The third set began on a seesaw with the teams exchanging points leaving DC ahead 4-3. Then, aces from
Camille Dofiles and Kim along with kills by Popham, Verbitsky and Whittaker moved the Devils to the front at 12-6. McDaniel rallied back as Allyson Burgee, Nia Roberts and Hannah Waters pulled the hosts to within one (14-13). A kill each from Popham and Verbitsky helped to extend the lead for the Red and White to 19-16. After a 7-3 romp by the Terror, three errors for the home team put DC a point away from taking the third at 25-24. Dickinson would need three more points before they finally put it away as an error and a Barowski ace capped things off 27-25.
Kills for Dofiles and Kim helped to give the Devils a 4-2 edge early in the fourth, but then nine of the next ten belonged to McDaniel to take an 11-5 edge. A pair of Popham kills along with a single score each by
Grace Coccagna and Kim held the gap at six (16-10). The two sides traded the ensuing eight points with Popham and Whittaker supplying the offense for the Red and White. However, Mitchell, Roberts and Strouse ripped off five consecutive points for the 25-14 victory to force a decisive fifth.
Things were tight to start the fifth as kills by Dofiles and Whittaker left things at 4-4. A combination block for Barowski and Verbitsky, coupled with kills by Coccagna and Kim edged DC ahead by the slimmest of margins at 9-8. A score from Abigayle Bowley leveled the set, before the Devils seized control as two kills each by Kim and Popham gave the match to Dickinson at 15-11.
Red Devil Leaders
Kills - Popham (15), Whittaker (9)
Digs - Patterson (25), Dofiles (10)
Assists - Dofiles (41)
Green Terror Leaders
Kills - Mitchell (19), Roberts, Strouse and Young (10)
Digs - Taveras (21), Fadel (11)
Assists - Hamilton (26), Waters (25)
Next on the Court
Dickinson (6-10, 1-3 Centennial) will try to continue their climb up the conference standings on Saturday afternoon when they visit Bryn Mawr College for a 1pm first serve.
