Garnet Split Tri-Match, Improve Playoff Position
Swarthmore defeated Muhlenberg and then fell to Vassar in a tri-match hosted in Tarble Pavilion on Saturday afternoon. The Garnet (12-13, 5-3 CC) cruised over the Mules by scores of 30-26, 30-21, 30-18 in the early match, and fell to the Brewers 30-16, 28-30, 30-25, 30-27 in its afternoon match.
Vassar (15-10) defeated Muhlenberg (11-14, 3-5 CC) 26-30, 30-25, 30-23, 30-18 in the third match.
Emily Conlon '06 continued her outstanding play in the first match against the Mules, tallying 34 assists, four kills, a team-high 18 digs, and three service aces. Outside hitter Jennifer Wang '09 had a team-high 14 kills and 11 digs, while junior Erica George added 11 kills and 10 digs. Sophomore middle blocker Karen Berk '08 continued to be a force at the net, registering eight kills and seven blocks.
Julie Lauro led the Mules with 15 kills.
The win elevates the Garnet into a tie for the fifth and final Centennial Conference playoff spot with McDaniel. Swarthmore has two Centennial matches remaining; home vs. Washington on Tuesday and home vs. Haverford on Thursday. The Green Terror also have two games left; home vs. Johns Hopkins on Tuesday and home vs. Bryn Mawr on Thursday.
Swarthmore holds the tie-breaker (head to head record), having defeated McDaniel on September 24th in Tarble Pavilion.
Vassar and Swarthmore squared off in non-conference action, a re-match of the third place game of the Seven Sisters Tournament two weeks ago.
The Brewers took game one easily, 30-16, led by sophomore Alia Al-Khatib's five kills. Swarthmore outlasted Vassar in the second game, 30-28, led by four kills from Berk.
The Brewers got ahead of the Garnet in game three and answered every Swarthmore rally with a big point, winning 30-25. Vassar sophomore Cat Foley led the charge with four kills. The Brewers opened up a big lead in game four, running off eight straight points to grab a 16-5 lead. Swarthmore fought back, getting to within 27-25, yet Vassar was able to close out the match with a kill from Anita Stavin.
George had a team-high 14 kills to go along with 25 digs, while Wang added nine kills and a team-high 26 digs. Sophomore Vanessa Wells added 10 kills while Berk and Katie Gold '08 chipped in nine kills apiece.
Swarthmore returns to action on Tuesday, October 25, hosting Washington (Md.) in Centennial action at 7:00 p.m.