Box Score Box Score 

ITHACA, N.Y.  –  Cornell volleyball fell 3-2 to the Bison of Bucknell in the final match of the Cornell Invitational on Saturday afternoon at Newman Arena.
 
After winning the first set 25-19, the Big Red dropped the next two 28-26 and 25-22. They dominated the Bison in set four earning a 25-16 win and forcing a fifth set but were unable to maintain that momentum and were upended 15-13.
 
Senior Kelly Marble led Cornell with 21 kills and 19 digs. Alyssa Phelps contributed a match-high 53 assists. Breanna Wong honors earned All-Tournament team honors after posting a team-best .333 hit percentage. Rachel D'Epagnier was also named to the All-Tournament team for the Big Red.
 
For the Bison, Kristen Titley hit .444 with a team-leading 17 kills and was named to the All-Tournament Team. Morgan Mientus led the visitors with 13 digs, while Keane Brazda added 24 assists.
 
Bucknell led the Big Red much of the way in set one and by as many as three points. However – seemingly the theme of the day for the Big Red – there were 14 ties in the set, and Cornell utilized nine Bison errors to battle back to even. With the score tied 18-18, Wong landed one her set-leading six kills to swing the momentum and help Cornell take a 19-18 lead. The only other point for Bucknell in the set came on a block from Erika Eastley - the Bison's other All-Tournament team member.

The teams battled down to the wire in set number two, trading set points after being locked at 24-24. After Cornell fought off one of the Bison's set point opportunities at 26-25 with a long volley and eventual Phelps kill deep in the court, the visitors came back even stronger with two straight points to win 28-26.
 
Eastley hit .667 in the set for the Bison, while Titley led the team with five kills, including the one that put Bucknell ahead 27-26.
 
Cornell led most of the third set, but Bucknell was able to come back from down as many as five points early and carry that momentum into the later portion. The Bison got a big kill from Titley for their 19th point and first lead of the game (19-18).  Bucknell went on to win the set 25-22 and take a 2-1 lead.
 
Down 2-1 with the match on the line, Cornell dominated the fourth set. After trading points early, the Big Red took over at 11-10 and built an insurmountable lead with nine points through the next ten plays. Marble led the Big Red through the match-tying set, hitting .750 with three kills and five digs.
 
Bucknell took the fifth and final set 15-13, closing out the match after being tied at 13 with a Titley kill (14-13) and a service ace by Katie Price (15-13).
 
Earlier in the day, Cornell – now 1-2 – defeated Iona College 3-1. Both Cornell and Bucknell entered the match at 1-1 on the weekend. Bucknell leaves Ithaca 4-2 overall.
 
Up next for the Big Red is the Long Island Tournament, with the first match scheduled for Sept. 13 at 4:30 p.m. against the host LIU-Brooklyn Blackbirds. The following day (Sept. 14) Cornell will face Fairfield University and local rival Colgate at 12:30 p.m. and 4 p.m., respectively.
 
Cornell Invitational All-Tournament Team
Liz Scott, Buffalo - Most Valuable Player
Kelly Svoboda, Buffalo – Libero
Tahleia Bishop, Buffalo
Kristen Titley, Bucknell
Erika Eastley, Bucknell
Breanna Wong, Cornell
Rachel D'Epagnier, Cornell