Northfield, Minn. – In a season of firsts where Carleton used outstanding athleticism, powerful blocking and quick-footed defense, it took a quick-thinking pla by junior Jamie Lykken (Edina, Minn.) to help Carleton College clinch the 2004 MIAC regular-season outright.
Needing a victory in the regular-season finale against archrival St. Olaf College, the Knights found themselves trailing 27-23 in pivotal game three, as the match was all square at one game each. The Knights rallied to tie the match at 27-all, but St. Olaf notched a kill shot and looked to be a mere two points away from taking a commanding 2-1 lead.
After a lengthy rally, the Oles defense was pulled up toward the net. Lykken set a floater on a simple overpass into the Oles' back row, where it landed well inside the line, tying the game at 28-28. A pair of Oles errors completed Carleton's (21-2, 10-1 MIAC) comeback, and they cruised to a game-four victory and their first outright MIAC crown.
Beth Freeman (Sr./Richfield, Minn.) led the Knights with 12 kills and 10 blocks. Individual game scores were 30-28, 24-30, 30-28, 30-24.
The Knights will be the top seed in the upcoming MIAC Playoffs, hosting a semifinal contest on Thursday, Nov. 4 at 7:30 p.m. Carleton is unbeaten in eight home matches this season and extended its winning streak to five matches. The Knights have won 18 of their last 19 contests.
Danielle Hargreaves (So./Brandon, Manitoba) added 12 kills and 11 digs; Alivia Bryan (Jr./Eugene, Ore.) tallied 12 kills and Katie Freeman (Sr./Richfield, Minn.) added 11 kills and 12 digs for the Knights. Lykken paced the club with 26 digs and Heather La Chapelle (Fy./Eagan, Minn.) tallied 39 asssts and eight digs.
Danica Finseth paced the Oles (13-14, 4-7 MIAC) with 12 kills and eight digs. Ashley Dennis and Andrea Otteman added 11 kills each and Rebecca Anderson tallied 10 kills. Audrey Volt led all players with 46 assists.
Carleton took game one, although it never led by more than three points. The Knights grabbed a late 27-24 lead on Beth Freeman tallied two kills and Katie Freeman one for the final three Carleton points.
Game two was controlled by the Oles throughout. They raced toa 13-6 advantage as Tremaine Versteeg ripped off three consecutive aces and the Oles cruised, getting kills from Finseth and Otteman and closing out the game on a Audrey Volstad kill shot.
Game three looked like it would go the visitors way. Carleton took a slim, early lead but the Oles used a 10-5 spurt, grabbing a 27-23 lead on kills by Oteeman and Finseth. Carleton rallied, however, as Sarah Barrow (Sr./Englewood, Colo./Cherry Creek) ripped a cross-court kill shot, followed by an Ole error and a Hargreaves kill. After a St. Olaf timeout, Beth Freeman tipped an ace, tying the match at 27-27. St. Olaf's Rebecca Anderson answered with a kill of her own, followed by Lykken's heady play to keep Carleton close. Barrow served out the game for the Knights, with Bryan notching a huge solo block at the net for the final point of game three.
Game four saw the hosts race to a 10-5 lead and push it to 19-12 on a Katie Freeman kill. The Oles crept back with four at 22-18, but Carleton closed down the match on a Hargreaves kill and an Ole error.
The Knights are now off until the MIAC Playoff Semifinals, when they host the winner of the Gustavus-St. Thomas match. The Gusties will travel to St. Paul to face the Tommies in the first round on Tuesday, Nov. 2.
