Oct. 21, 2005
CAMBRIDGE, MASS. - Down 0-2, the Lions won three straight games to defeat Harvard 3-2, 16-30, 28-30, 30-28, 30-24, 15-9 in Cambridge, Mass. The Lions improved to 5-12, 3-3 Ivy, while Harvard dropped to 3-14, 0-7 Ivy.
The Lions led 29-25 in game three, but Harvard closed the lead to one, 29-28 with Laura Mahon serving consecutive points. Columbia called a timeout to tend to an injury involving blood with Kelly Russell (Anaheim Hills, Calif.). Russell proved not to be affected, as she came back and hit the game-winning kill to give the Lions game three, 30-28.
Russell served seven straight points to start off game four and the Lions did not look back. Amalia Viti (Corte Madera, Calif.) had five of her game-high 18 kills in game four. Viti and Russell had back-to-back kills to give the Lions a 28-24 lead and Ashley Kim served consecutive points to even the match to 2-2 and force a game five.
The Lions trailed 5-4 in the game five, when setter Shannon Hunzicker (Fullerton, Calif.) served six straight points including two kills by Viti and an ace. Nikki Learned (Palos Verdes Estates, Calif.) added two kills to give Columbia a 12-8 lead, and Russell followed suit with another to make the lead five, 13-8. Natalie Gerling (Orange, Calif) added an ace and Hunzicker assisted Viti for match-point.
Viti added nine digs and four blocks to her 18 kills, Learned totaled 13 kills, eight digs and four blocks. Russell had 14 kills, while Gerling totaled 16 kills and 20 digs. Hunzicker finished with 64 assists and 13 digs.
The Lions return to action on Saturday, when they travel to Dartmouth for a 4 p.m. game.
