MATCH INFORMATION
MATCH #1: Cornell vs. Buffalo
MATCH TIME: Friday, Sept. 6, 2013; 7:30 p.m.
MATCH SITE: Newman Arena (Ithaca, N.Y.)
SERIES RECORD: Cornell leads, 14-5
LAST MEETING: Buffalo, 3-1; Sept. 17, 2011
2013 RECORDS: Cornell (0-0); Buffalo (3-0)*
LIVE STATS: www.CornellBigRed.com
LIVE VIDEO: None
MATCH #2: Cornell vs. Iona
MATCH TIME: Saturday, Sept. 7, 2013; 11:00 a.m.
MATCH SITE: Newman Arena (Ithaca, N.Y.)
SERIES RECORD: Series tied, 1-1
LAST MEETING: Cornell, 3-2; Sept. 13, 2003
2013 RECORDS: Cornell (0-0); Iona (1-2)*
LIVE STATS: www.CornellBigRed.com
LIVE VIDEO: None
MATCH #3: Cornell vs. Bucknell
MATCH TIME: Saturday, Sept. 7, 2013; 4:00 p.m.
MATCH SITE: Newman Arena (Ithaca, N.Y.)
SERIES RECORD: Cornell leads, 12-1
LAST MEETING: Cornell, 3-2; Sept. 7, 2012
2013 RECORDS: Cornell (0-0); Bucknell (2-1)*
LIVE STATS: www.CornellBigRed.com
LIVE VIDEO: None
* Records prior to Sept. 6
THE CORNELL INVITATIONAL: The Big Red volleyball team opens its 42nd season this weekend as it hosts the Cornell Invitational at Newman Arena with Buffalo, Iona and Bucknell making the trip to Ithaca, N.Y. The tournament opens on Friday, Sept. 6 with Buffalo taking on Iona at 2:30 p.m. The Big Red will play its first contest of the season against the Bulls in the nightcap at 7:30 p.m. The following day, Cornell will take on Iona in the first match of the morning at 11 a.m., before returning that afternoon to face Bucknell at 4 p.m. Cornell is a combined 27-7-1 against the three programs participating in the tournament.
THE SERIES VS. BUFFALO: Cornell holds a 14-5-1 advantage all-time against the Bulls in a series that began in 1974. The teams split the first three meetings with each squad winning once and tying one time. The Big Red then went on to win eight straight contests from 1979 to 1981. The series took a decade-long break and since the 1993 season Cornell has held a 5-4 edge, including winning the two of the last three outings.
VS. THE MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE: Cornell is 15-16-1 against the current members of the Mid-American Conference, thanks mostly to a 14-5-1 record against Buffalo. The Big Red also has a winning record against Western Michigan (1-0), but a losing mark against Akron (0-5), Bowling Green (0-1), Central Michigan (0-1) and Kent State (0-4). Cornell has never faced Ball State, Eastern Michigan, Miami (Ohio), Northern Illinois, Ohio University or Toledo.
THE SERIES VS. IONA: Cornell has faced the Gaels just twice in women's volleyball with each team winning once. Iona won the first ever meeting in 1997, while the Big Red took the most recent victory, winning a 2003 contest.
VS. THE MAAC: Cornell is 35-7 against the current members of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. The Big Red holds a winning record against Canisius (7-1), Fairfield (2-1), Manhattan (1-0), Marist (1-0), Niagara (12-0), Rider (4-1) and Siena (5-1) and a .500 record vs. Iona (1-1) and Saint Peter's (2-2). Cornell has never faced Loyola in volleyball.
THE SERIES VS. BUCKNELL: Cornell first played the Bison in volleyball during the 1984 season, a 2-0 victory for the Big Red, which went on to win nine consecutive matches before Bucknell earned a 3-2 victory during the 1996 season. The teams have met three times since (2004, 2007, 2012) with Cornell winning all three contests to improve to 12-1 in the all-time series. A year ago, Buckenll provided Batie-Smoose with her first victory as the head coach of the Big Red.
VS. THE PATRIOT LEAGUE: The Big Red is 87-38-1 against the current members of the Patriot League, thanks mostly to a 54-27-1 record over Colgate. Cornell also has a winning record against Army (6-1), Bucknell (12-1), Holy Cross (4-0), Lafayette (4-1) and Lehigh (5-2). The Big Red's series with Navy is tied at 2-2, while American is the only team in the Patriot League with a winning record against Cornell (4-0) ... Coach Batie-Smoose is 2-0 against the Patriot League.
THE HEAD COACH: Cornell head coach
Melissa Batie-Smoose is in her second season at Cornell (9-16, .360) ... Batie-Smoose became the 10th coach in Cornell volleyball history in April 2012 ... She has a 96-78 (.552) record as a head coach, including a mark of 81-43 (.653) at Savannah College of Art & Design.
SEASON OPENERS: Cornell is 27-13-1 all-time in season openers. Since 1995, the Big Red is an impressive 14-4 in the first match of the season.
UP NEXT: Cornell is back in action next weekend when it travels to Brooklyn, N.Y. to participate in the Long Island Tournament on Sept. 13-14. Cornell faces the host Blackbirds on Friday afternoon (4:00 p.m.), before taking on Fairfield and Colgate the following day at 12:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m., respectively
