Crimson Falls in Five-Set Match

As the saying goes, every dog has its day.

Yesterday belonged to the University of Connecticut Huskies at the Malkin Athletic Center, but by a slim margin.

Following numerous lead changes, the Harvard women’s volleyball team (2-2) dropped its contest against UConn (3-5), 3-2.

The day was not decided until the fifth set, which saw the Crimson jump out to an early lead. Husky blocking and a Harvard net violation put UConn on top, 5-3. Suffering from several service errors, the Huskies then stumbled into an 8-7 deficit. Sophomore Anne Carroll Ingersoll took advantage of the Husky lull and provided a crucial block for the Crimson, prompting the announcer to shout, “AC Ingersoll says no!”

Objecting in its own way, UConn initiated a 4-0 run to bring the win within reach. Ingersoll responded with two straight kills before two errors created a match point for the Huskies—a situation from which UConn emerged victorious, 15-13.

“We’ve never played [UConn] that close before,” Harvard coach Jennifer Weiss said.

The contest featured a constant jostle for the lead that began in the first set.

The teams opened the match by trading points until the Crimson found itself on top, 7-5, thanks to a monster kill from Ingersoll, who hit for .485 and 14 kills throughout the match.

“You see that the glue really is [senior Lily Durwood], [co-captain Chelsea Ono Horn] and [senior Katherine Kocurek], even though she’s in and out,” Weiss said. “They really hold together the team. And so then Anne Carroll Ingersoll is seeing the block well, she’s working hard. And I’m excited for what’s ahead.”

The two teams continued to trade haymakers throughout the first frame, keeping the score tight through the early stages of the contest. A drop shot gave Harvard a 10-9 lead, but the Huskies regained a 14-12 advantage using well-placed kills. Neither team could build an effective streak, however, and the Crimson climbed back to tie it at 14-14.

At 14-16, Kocurek’s efforts to recover a near-lost point translated into a devastating kill from sophomore Sandra Lynne Fryhofer. However, Harvard could not capitalize on the momentum from Kocurek’s play, dropping the next five points and, eventually, the set.

A similar, back-and-forth trend characterized the second set, as neither team gained a significant lead throughout the match. A drop shot from freshman Taylor Docter started a 3-0 Crimson run—which included an ace from Docter—and caused an UConn timeout with the score at 22-19. The Huskies responded with offensive efforts of their own and nearly forced overtime, but Ono Horn closed out the match at 25-23 with a well-placed kill.

Ono Horn contributed several key defensive plays as well, racking up 23 blocks throughout the match. Sophomore libero Christine Wu tacked on another 27 and made strategic plays for the Crimson, frequently saving the point with a gymnast-like style.

The pace picked up at the start of the third, with both teams exchanging big kills. Ingersoll led an offensive barrage that put Harvard up 15-12. The Huskies’ deficit grew to five due in part to Durwood’s efficient serving. Though the Crimson committed several errors and allowed UConn to creep up at 21-17, a kill from junior Mikaelle Comrie earned Harvard the following possession and an eventual six-point lead. Throughout the third, the home team dominated on offense, hitting for .556, and won the set in decisive fashion, 25-17.

Harvard carried momentum from the third set into the fourth, opening the frame with a 3-0 run. UConn matched Harvard’s offensive efforts, and the fight for the lead commenced yet again. The two teams tied nine times during the fourth.

Jostling for the lead, Harvard received a boost from its rookies, especially Docter, who tallied another two aces, and freshman Ann Carroll. Carroll notched two of her seven kills in the fourth.

“[Caroll] did amazing today,” Ono Horn said. “Every time we have someone new come on the court, they really add to the game.”

—Staff writer Emmett Kistler can be reached at ekistler@fas.harvard.edu.