Junior
Sara Kroneberger records one of her 13
digs in Saturday's game against Yale.
Yulian Danusastro/Online Forty-Niner
Crimes
on a killing spree for 49ers
By
Moria Khou
Online Forty-Niner
Staff Writer
Overpowered and outplayed, the Bulldogs
of Yale fell to the No. 23 49ers in three
straight games Saturday.
With
brilliant play from freshman Alexis Crimes,
the 49ers are off to a 4-0 start in the
early season after defeating Yale 30-28,
30-17 and 32-30. Crimes had a career-best
eight blocks and led all players with
13 kills.
"I
don't feel pressure," Crimes said.
"I'm just playing to play."
49er
Head Coach Brian Gimmillaro spoke highly
of the 6-foot-3 freshman from Rancho Cucamonga,
Calif.
"[Crimes]
is carrying us offensively and on transitions,
Gimmillaro said. "It's hard for a
young player. It's not just her jumping
ability – her heart is good."
Neither team hit well on the night. The
Bulldogs had a .085 attack percentage
while the 49ers' attack percentage was
.212.
Three
players for the 49ers posted double-digit
digs. Heather Laudato had 16, Taylor Petyon
had a career-best 14 and Sara Kroneberger
had 13.
The
Bulldogs, led by middle blocker Rene Lopes,
took an early 19-15 lead in the first
game as Gimmillaro took a timeout to regroup
his squad. After the timeout, the freshmen
tandem of Crimes and Heather Hetzer brought
the 49ers back from the deficit to tie
the bulldogs, 20-20.
A
questionable net call against the 49ers
gave Yale a 21-20 lead, and caused the
49er crowd to go in an uproar, but the
precise hitting of sophomores Robin Miramontes
and Mariko Crum gave the 49ers a 30-28
victory in the first game.
Yale's
play in the second game consisted of continuous
unforced errors. The 49ers took full advantage
and ran away with the game in convincing
fashion, 30-17.
Looking to build off the second game blowout,
the 49ers took a quick 10-5 lead in the
third game. Crimes' elevation and hang
time on her kill shots held off Yale's
attempt at getting a rally started.
Yale
didn't go away easy though. After being
down 22-15, the Bulldogs scored four straight
points to bring them within three points
of The Beach.
Miramontes
battled back for the 49ers as she planted
the Baden's volleyball logo on the right
cheek of Yale's outside hitter, Kali Nelson,
which knocked her to the hardwood floor.
The
Bulldogs showed their resiliency and continued
to trade blows with the 49ers. Yale fought
back to gain a 24-23 lead causing Gimmillaro
to once again call a timeout.
The
49ers would regain the lead 29-26, but
The Beach still had trouble closing out
the Bulldogs. Yale took the lead 30-29
as they were fighting for a chance to
go to game four.
With
the crowd on its feet and a thunderous
cheer of support, the 49ers' Crum, Hetzer
and Crimes tallied up three-consecutive
kills to send the Bulldogs back to Connecticut
with the loss.
49er
setter Jillian Mazzarella had a game-high
38 assists while Crum chipped in with
eight kills.
The
Beach will try to make it five straight
wins tonight against Northwestern at 7:30
p.m. in The Pyramid.
OpEdD49er@yahoo.com.
