Host Bulldogs Finish 3-0 at Yale Invitational, Hearst Named MVP
The box score may say the Bulldogs earned a quick, early-season,
three-game sweep of the Rhode Island Rams in the final game of the
2010 Yale Invitational, but it sure had the feel of a postseason,
five-set thriller. After battling back from eight down to take the
first set 29-27, Yale gutted out a tough back-and-forth win in the
second set, and then jumped out to an early lead in the third that
would carry them to their third win of the season and second of the
day.
Junior Bridget
Hearst, named the tournament's MVP for her dominating
performances in all three games this weekend, led the way for the
Bulldogs in the first set, leading Yale back from an 11-3 deficit.
Captain Kelly
Ozurovich kept her team in it as Rhode Island rallied, beating
back the Rams' charge with nine digs. Junior Katie
Cordell also contributed some big plays late in the frame to
spark Yale to the 29-27 set win.
Cordell's clutch play continued in the second set, as her strong
serving, two kills, and four big digs, combined with Hearst's five
kills and Ozurovich's five digs, prevented Rhode Island from
mounting any significant rally. Freshman McHaney
Carter also added three clutch kills in the second, setting up
Cordell's emphatic set-finishing kill to put the Bulldogs up two
sets to none with the 28-26 victory.
Hearst and sophomore Haley
Wessels (eight kills) took charge in the third, and Cordell
continued to back them up with solid play. Carter added four
more kills for a total of nine in the game, and classmate Erica
Reetz also gave Bulldog fans a taste of things to come with
strong serving, five kills, and a stellar 13 kills. Fellow freshman
Kendall
Polan also established herself as a major contributor in the
middle, with a spectacular 47 assists, good for all-tournament
honors.
"For a young team, I thought we showed great poise," Coach Erin
Appleman said. "We got better and better as the tournament went
along, which is exactly what you want to see. But along with that,
Kelly had an unbelievable tournament in my opinion, and Bridget was
just incredible."
Joining Hearst on the all tournament team for the Bulldogs was
setter Kendall Polan, who had two 40-plus assists games in the
tournament. The rest of the all-tournament team was as follows:
Stony Brook:
Alicia Nelson
Ashley Headen
Rhode Island:
Lauren McIntosh
Annie Nelson
Quinnipiac:
Logan Riker
Yale:
Kendall Polan
MVP:
Bridget Hearst
The Bulldogs will look to improve on their 3-0 record when they
face off against New Jersey Institute of Technology on September
10th at the Long Island Tournament.
Report filed by Chelsea Janes '12, Yale Sports
Publicity.