MATCH INFORMATION
MATCH #10: Cornell vs. Columbia
MATCH TIME: Saturday, Sept. 28, 2013; 2:00 p.m.
MATCH SITE: Newman Arena (Ithaca, N.Y.)
SERIES RECORD: Cornell Leads, 46-10
LAST MEETING: Columbia, 3-2; Oct. 20, 2012 (Ithaca, N.Y.)
2013 RECORDS: Cornell (3-6); Columbia (2-7)
Live Stats: http://www.sidearmstats.com/cornell/wvball/ 
Live Video: http://www.ivyleaguedigitalnetwork.com

THE IVY LEAGUE OPENER: The Big Red volleyball team will play host to Columbia in both teams' first Ivy League competition of the season on Saturday, Sept. 28 at 2:00 p.m. in Newman Area. Both squads come into the game with under .500 records, with Cornell sitting a 3-6, while the Lions are 2-7.

THE SERIES VS. COLUMBIA: The Big Red and the Lions have played 56 times dating back to 1977, with Cornell holding a dominating 46-10 record in the all-time series. The Big Red will look for revenge from last year's showdowns when Columbia won both meetings, a sweep in the Ivy League opener and a five-set match on Oct. 20, 2012. Despite the .821 series winning percentage, the Big Red has a four-match losing streak against Columbia, having not defeated the Lions since a five-set decision in the second meeting of the 2010 season. Cornell and Columbia have played each other in the Ivy League opener each year since 2000, with the Big Red holding the 18-7 record during that span.

SCOUTING THE LIONS: Columbia comes into the contest having posted a 2-7 record so far this season, with more than half of its loses coming in five sets. The squads two victories have come against Fordham at home in the Columbia Invitational and a sweep of William & Mary at the University of Virginia Tournament. The team's strength comes in its defensive efforts, as the Lions have more block solos, block assists, and total blocks than their competition. The team has started slow in a majority of its games dropping seven-of-nine first sets and six-of-nine second sets. Bailey Springer and Lanti Loye-McLaren lead the offensive attack averaging 3.57 and 3.06 kills per set, respectively. Jennifer Petrovich is the squad's predominant setter, averaging an Ivy League leading 9.34 per set. Loye-McLaren also leads the defensive side with 117 digs, an average of 3.34 per set. Savannah Fletcher and Kesi Neblett lead the Lions in blocking with 33 each.

THE HEAD COACH: Cornell head coach Melissa Batie-Smoose is in her second season at Cornell (12-22, .353) ... Batie-Smoose became the 10th coach in Cornell volleyball history in April 2012 ... She has a 99-84 (.541) record as a head coach, including a mark of 81-43 (.653) at Savannah College of Art & Design.

CLIMBING TO 100: The next win for Coach Melissa Batie-Smoose will be the 100th victory of her coaching career.

DIG IT: Junior libero Natasha Rowland posted a career-high 34 digs vs. Rutgers on Sept. 21, a mark that it tied for 10th all-time in Cornell history for digs in a five-set match. Her previous high was 33 digs, set a week earlier vs. LIU Brooklyn, and is tied for 12th best in Big Red history for digs in a five-set match.

THE BIG BLOCKER: Sept. 7 was a big day for freshman Macey Wilson. The middle blocker had back-to-back games in which she posted a career-high nine block assists. With her nine blocks vs. Iona, she placed ninth in Cornell history for blocks in a four-set match, while her nine stops against Bucknell is good for 15th place in Big Red history for blocks in a five-set match.

YOU'VE BEEN SERVED: Senior Sierra Young entered the week ranked 34th in the nation in service aces per set (0.46).

IN THE RANKINGS: Several Cornell players are raked in the top 10 of various Ivy League statistical categories, including:
*Macey Wilson – ninth in hitting percentage (.280)
*Breanna Wong – fourth in kills per set (2.89)
*Kelly Marble – seventh in kills per set (2.85)
*Alyssa Phelps – second in assists per set (8.46)
*Sierra Young – fifth in service aces per set (0.46)
*Natasha Rowland - second in digs per set (4.35)
*Kelly Marble – fifth in points per set (3.26)
*Breanna Wong - 10th in points per set (3.09)

ON THE BLOCK: Senior Rachel D'Epagnier is steadily moving up the Cornell all-time list for career blocks. She currently ranks eighth overall in block assists (205), 11th overall in total blocks (242) and 15th in block solos (37).

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: For the first time in her young career, Breanna Wong has been named the Ivy League Player of the Week. It is the first conference weekly award earned by Wong, who becomes the Big Red's first Player of the Week selection since Rachel D'Epagnier earned the honor in the final week of the 2012 season. Wong lead the Big Red with 3.64 kills per set while hitting .301 in the Blackbird Invitational. She was particularly impressive in Cornell's victory over Fairfield, posting a team-high 12 kills (4.0 per set) and hitting .450.

ALL-TOURANMENT TEAM:
* Rachel D'Epagnier and Breanna Wong were both named to the Cornell Invitational All-Tournament Team.
* Breanna Wong was named to the Blackbird Invitational All-Tournament Team after leading the Big Red to a 1-2 record on the weekend including a sweep and a heart-breaking loss.
* Rachel D'Epagnier and Breanna Wong were both named to the Panther Invitational All-Tournament Team.

UP NEXT: Cornell will spend remain in Ithaca next weekend to take on Princeton on Friday, Oct. 4 at 7:00 p.m. and Penn on Saturday, Oct. 5 at 5:00 p.m. at Newman Arena.