HANOVER, N.H. – After taking the opening two sets, Columbia Volleyball (11-12, 2-9 IVY) would suffer a heartbreaking five-set loss at Dartmouth (9-15, 3-8 IVY), with the second set final score of 34-32, in favor of the Lions, taking a toll on the team as the next three sets would fall the way of Dartmouth at Leede Arena on Friday night.

Despite the result, sophomore Emily Teehan and senior Chichi Ikwuazom were a force on the attack for the Lions, with Teehan finishing with a career-high 23 kills, while Ikwuazom added 22 kills to give the Lions two with at least 20 kills for the second time this season, with Teehan and Ikwuazom each passing 20 kills against Brown on Oct. 19.  The Lions finished the match with an Ivy League season-high 66 kills and a season-high 15 total blocks.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED: Columbia came out and grabbed the first set, but the start was a close affair with both teams tying up at 10-10.  The score was close shortly after the 10-10 mark, but a few points would go Columbia's way, and with the score at 16-15, the Lions began to build on their lead.  A key stretch, which saw first-year Vanessa Pan smash an ace (18-15) and Teehan (21-17), Ikwuazom (22-18), first-year Pierce Woodall (23-19) and junior Audrey Cheng (24-20) all record kills, lead Columbia to a first-set win, 25-21, with the final point being scored by junior Kaitlin Schultz's kill.
 
The Lions took a 1-0 lead into the second set, and what a second set it would be, with the Lions eventually taking the set 34-32.  Columbia held a 20-15 late in the set, but a flurry of points from the Big Green would eventually push the set into extra points.  Things would tie up eight times following the 25-25 mark, but with the score sitting at 32-32, first-year Kiara Robichaud smashed a kill to put the Lions up for good as they went on to take the set and a 2-0 lead heading into the third set.
 
The marathon second set would take its toll on Columbia, as Dartmouth began to work its way back into the match, starting with a 25-17 third set win to make the score 2-1.  Much like the third set, Dartmouth again ran away with the score, taking the fourth set, 25-18, to force a deciding fifth set.
 
In the fifth set, Dartmouth again almost ran away with it, but with their backs against the wall, Columbia fought off three straight match points, getting points at 14-10, 14-11, and 14-12.  But the Lions could not keep the momentum rolling, and following a Dartmouth timeout, the Big Green got the final point on a kill from Francesca Meldrum, taking the fifth set, 15-12, and the match 3-2.
 
GAME NOTES: Teehan's 23 kills and 46 attack attempts were a career-high ... Ikwuazom passed 1,000 kills in her career, now sitting at 1,006, becoming the fifth Lion to ever reach this mark in program history ... This was the second match of the season that both Teehan and Ikwuazom each racked up at least 20 kills, the other coming against Brown on Oct. 19 ... The second set was the longest of the season and the longest since falling by the same score against Yale in 2018 season finale.
 
UP NEXT: Columbia wraps up the 2019 season with a visit to Harvard, with that match set to go on Saturday, Nov. 16 at 5 p.m.
 
FOLLOWING THE LIONS: Stay up to date on all things Columbia Volleyball by following the Lions on Twitter (@CUVB), Instagram (@columbiawvb) and on Facebook (@ColumbiaAthletics).