WEST POINT, N.Y. – After an outstanding start to the season with a pair of wins on the first day of the Black Knights Invitational, the Big Red volleyball team fell to the host Army West Point in straight sets (23-25, 13-25, 20-25) to finish second overall in the tournament standings.
 
For their efforts, junior setter Alyssa Phelps and freshman outside hitter Carla Sganderlla were voted onto the Black Knights Invitational All-Tournament Team.
 
Sganderlla was the only Big Red player to reach double-digit kills for the Big Red vs. Army, finishing with 12 kills overall and hitting .207 (12-6-29). Junior middle blocker Macey Wilson also had a solid outing with eight kills and just three errors on 16 attemps for a team-high .312 hitting percentage.
 
Phelps handed out 25 assists and finished with seven digs, as well as four kills, while Chelsea Sincox tallied 14 digs.
 
Army (4-2) was incredibly efficient on offense, hitting nearly .300 as a team, and was led by tournament MVP Jaden Pickell with 11 kills (11-4-30; .233) and a match-high 16 digs. Setter Vanessa Edwards tallied 32 assists and was one of three Black Knight players with at least nine digs.   
 
The Big Red will travel to the St. John's Tournament to face San Francisco on Friday, Sept. 11 at 2 p.m., before taking on Central Connecticut at 4:30p.m. The next morning, Cornell will take on the Red Storm at 10 a.m., before closing the tournament against George Mason at 3 p.m. Of the four opponents, Cornell holds a winning record against only CCSU (4-1). The series with George Mason is tied at 2-2, while both San Francisco and St. John's hold the 2-0 advantage.
 
Tournament Standings (point differential)
1. Army West Point 3-0 (+7)
2. Cornell 2-1 (+1)
3. William & Mary 1-2 (+1)
4. Iona 0-3 (-9)
 
Black Knights Invitational All-Tournament Team
Amanda Gannon, Iona
Mallory Brickerd, William & Mary
Alyssa Phelps, Cornell
Carla Sganderlla, Cornell
Jaden Pickell, Army West Point
Vanessa Edwards, Army West Point
Vanessa Wesley, Army West Point
 
Most Valuable Player
Jaden Pickell, Army West Point