After a four-game win streak propelled the women’s volleyball team (11-14, 8-6 Ivy) to the Ivy League Tournament, the Bears challenged the Princeton Tigers (15-11, 12-2) in the semifinals on Nov. 22. But after losing three straight sets, the Bears’ season ended early.
Still, with four players earning Ivy honors, Brown had cause for celebration. With an average of 15.24 digs per game, Jessie Golden ’26 was not only bestowed with First Team All-Ivy honors, but was also named the Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year for the second season in a row.
“I’m super grateful for my teammates and coaches for helping me get this award,” Golden wrote in a message to The Herald. When asked about her outstanding dig-average, she explained: “I just try to go for everything on game day, even if I think I can’t get the dig, still making a move and going for it has worked for me.”
Racking up 335 kills on 93 sets, Mariia Sidorova ’26 was named First Team All-Ivy, as well. Backing her up, Beau Vanderlaan ’25 and Julia Kakkis ’28 were honorable All-Ivy mentions.
The first set of the day was Brown’s strongest. Hannah Flannery ’26 scored the Bears’ first point by forcing a blocking error on Princeton’s Kamryn Chaney. Throughout the rest of the contest, Flannery remained a cornerstone of Bruno’s offense, ending the day with eight points and six kills.
Down by one, the Tigers struck back, tying the game at four points all. Then, initiated by a kill from Sidorova — who totaled 6.5 points over the course of the contest — the Bears went on a 7-to-1 point run to claim an 11-5 lead.
From that point forward, it was all Tigers. Spearheaded by Chaney, Princeton tied the game at 19 all, before running away with a 25-21 victory.
“We struggled to maintain energy after losing the first set so closely,” Golden wrote. “Throughout the entire game we lacked grit and effort and could have made changes quicker.”
With the momentum of one victory on their backs, the Tigers made quick work of Bruno’s defense in the second set, jumping to an early 7-0 lead. Though Ally Panzloff ’27 and Sidorova tried to revive Brown’s offense with a pair of kills, Princeton’s attack was unrelenting. By the time the whistle was blown, the Tigers had more than doubled the Bears score, winning the set 25-10.
The Tigers opened the third set with three straight kills. Trying to escape another early setback, Sidorova and Sophia Wolfson ’28 blocked back-to-back Princeton attacks, and after a Tiger attack error, the Bears were able to tie the game at three all. Unfortunately, this was the last time Brown was not playing from behind, and after a methodical offensive flurry by the Tigers, Bruno’s playoff hopes came to an end with a crushing 25-16 loss.
Now, the Bears look to the upcoming season. “We’ll have a better understanding of how to start stronger and fight harder to have a better beginning to the season,” Golden wrote. “Personally, I’m grateful to get another opportunity to play with the people I love.”
Lydell Dyer is a Senior Staff Writer for the sports section. A sophomore hailing from Bonn, Germany, Lydell is studying nonfiction English and political science, and if he's not off "making words sound pretty," you can find him lifting heavy circles at the Nelson.
