ITHACA, N.Y. – The Cornell volleyball team (12-2, 5-0) will look to continue its winning ways when it hits the road this weekend for a pair of Ivy League contests at Brown on Friday, Oct. 18 and Yale on Saturday, Oct. 19.

MATCH INFORMATION

Match #15: Cornell at Brown
Match Time: Friday, Oct. 18, 2019 at 7 p.m.
Match Site: Pizzitola Sports Center (Providence, R.I.)
Series Record: Cornell leads, 44-26
Last Meeting: Cornell won, 3-1; Nov. 10, 2018
2019 Records: Cornell (12-2, 5-0 Ivy League); Brown (9-6, 1-4 Ivy League)
Live Video (ESPN+): es.pn/31dOrZD
Live Stats: bit.ly/2MFn05F
 
Match #16: Cornell at Yale
Match Time: Saturday, Oct. 19, 2019 at 5 p.m.
Match Site: John J. Lee Amphitheater (New Haven, Conn.)
Series Record: Yale leads, 45-26
Last Meeting: Yale won, 3-0; Nov. 9, 2018
2019 Records: Cornell (12-2, 5-0 Ivy League); Yale (8-6, 4-1 Ivy League)
Live Video (ESPN+): es.pn/2MHHbQz
Live Stats: bit.ly/2MDOoRC
 
*Records prior to Friday's contests.

THE WEEKEND: 

After defeating Dartmouth (3-0) and Harvard (3-1) at Newman Arena last weekend, the Big Red finds itself sitting in first place in the Ivy League with a perfect 5-0 conference record. Cornell, who is the only team that remains unbeaten in Ivy League play, will look to preserve its undefeated conference record and extend its 10 game win streak this weekend.
 
Standing in the way will be Brown (9-6, 1-4) and Yale (8-6, 4-1), who will be hungry to dethrone the Big Red. Brown will be looking to get back on track after having dropped three straight contests to Ivy League foes Harvard (3-0), Penn (3-0), and Princeton (3-1). Yale, who won the Ivy League in 2018 and is a contender again this year, will be eager to get a win after Princeton snapped the Bulldogs eight match winning streak last weekend, sweeping Yale, 3-0.
 
For fans who wish to follow along with all the action this weekend, both matches will be broadcasted on ESPN+ and live stats will be provided.

ON A ROLL:

With 10 straight wins, the Big Red is currently on its longest win streak since the 2003 season when the team won 14 consecutive games. Just as impressive, Cornell's 5-0 start in Ivy League play marks the first time that the Big Red has won its first five conference matches since 2005 when the team opened up Ivy League play 12-0 and went on to qualify for the NCAA Tournament.

THE SERIES VS. BROWN:

Cornell has held the series advantage over Brown since the two teams first squared off in 1976. The Big Red owns a 44-26 record in the all-time series, winning 24 of the last 37 meetings, including the last five matchups.

SCOUTING THE BEARS:

Brown enters Friday's contest with a 9-6 overall record and a 1-4 record in Ivy League play. Brown got off to a hot start this season, going 8-2 in non-conference play and tying the best start for the team through 10 matches in program history. Brown has been a historically scrappy team, and that has been no different this season, as four of Brown's nine wins this year have come in five sets. The team's lone Ivy League win came against Dartmouth, as the Bears won, 3-1, at home on Oct. 4.
 
Brown has been led so far this season by senior outside hitter Makena Ehlert, who leads the team and ranks fourth in the Ivy League in kills/set (3.12). Ehlert's partner in crime, Kristin Sellers, is having a solid season as well, ranking first on the team and fifth in the conference in assists/set (6.63). Three additional Bears find themselves among the Ivy League rankings, as Tylin Stiller sits sixth in the conference in blocks/set (0.87), Kaitlyn Wong ranks eighth in digs/set (3.44), and Sophia Miller sits 10th in kills/set (2.56).

THE SERIES VS. YALE:

Yale owns a 45-26 series advantage over the Big Red dating back to 1976. The Bulldogs won both matches in 2018, beating Cornell at Newman Arena, 3-1, and in New Haven, 3-0. The Bulldogs have won 21 of the last 22 meetings between the two teams, but the Big Red will do everything in its power to turn the tables this year.

SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS:

The defending Ivy League Champion Bulldogs are coming off a weekend that saw the team sweep Penn, 3-0, before getting swept by Princeton, 3-0. The matchup between the Big Red and the Bulldogs proves to be a great one, as both teams have its sights set on an Ivy League title this season.
 
As a team, Yale leads the Ivy League in opponent service aces, holding its opponents to 1.10 aces/set. The Bulldogs also rank third in digs/set (14.26), aces/set (1.50), opponent assists/set (11.32), opponent kills/set (12.52), and opponent blocks/set (1.91).
 
The Bulldogs have multiple student-athletes that rank in the top-10 in the Ivy League in their respective statistical categories, including the following:
* Frances Arnautou – Second in Assists/Set (9.76)
* Yurika Boyd – Fifth in Digs/Set (3.80)
* Samantha Bray – Fifth in Hitting Percentage (.372)
* Izzy Simqu – Seventh in Hitting Percentage (.321)
* Rebekah Nemeth – Seventh in Kills/Set (2.77)
* Ellis DeJardin – Ninth in Points/Set (3.03)

NCAA INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS:

As the first half of Ivy League play wraps up, senior middle blockers Jenna Phelps (.423) and Jada Stackhouse (.413) are among the best in the nation in hitting percentage, ranking 14th and 22nd, respectively, in all of Division I.

NCAA TEAM RANKINGS:

Highlighted by a pair of top-20 national rankings in hitting percentage and match win-loss percentage, the Big Red entered the week ranked in the top-50 of the NCAA in the following statistical categories:
* 14th in Hitting Percentage (.278)
* 17th in Match W-L Percentage (0.857)
* 25th in Aces/Set (1.70)
* 29th in Kills/Set (13.66)
* 34th in Opponent Hitting Percentage (0.165)
* 40th in Assists/Set (12.58)

INDIVIDUAL IVY RANKINGS:

The following Cornell student-athletes are currently ranked among the best in the Ivy League in their respective statistical categories:
* Jada Stackhouse – 2nd in Blocks/Set (1.10), 4th in Hitting Percentage (.413)
* Jenna Phelps – 2nd in Hitting Percentage (.423)
* Lily Barber – 4th in Aces/Set (0.36), 4th in Digs/Set (3.85)
* Emma Worthington – 5th in Aces/Set (0.35), 6th in Assists/Set (6.37)
* Jillienne Bennett – 6th in Hitting Percentage (.332)
* Zoe Chamness – 7th in Assists/Set (5.59), 8th in aces/set (0.32)
* Joanna Chang – 9th in Aces/Set (0.31)

IVY RANKINGS:

Cornell is currently leading the Ivy League as a team in a league-high seven statistical categories, including the following:
* Hitting Percentage (.278)
* Assists/Set (12.58)
* Aces/Set (1.70)
* Opponent Hitting Percentage (.165)
* Opponent Assists/Set (9.89)
* Opponent Kills/Set (10.45)
* Opponent Blocks/Set (1.85)

YOU'VE BEEN SERVED:

The Big Red has stepped up to the serving line with confidence this season, as four Cornell student-athletes rank in the top-10 in the Ivy League in aces/set. Lily Barber ranks fourth (0.36), Emma Worthington sits fifth (0.35), Zoe Chamness ranks eighth (0.32), and Joanna Chang sits ninth (0.31).

MOVING ON UP:

The following Big Red student-athletes find themselves moving up the Cornell career records:
* Jenna Phelps – 7th in Block Assists (250), 10th in Total Blocks (279), 19th in Solo Blocks (29), 24th in Total Points (763.0), 28th in Kills (530)
* Zoe Chamness – 12th in Assists (1,349)
* Jada Stackhouse – 11th in Block Assists (210), 14th in Total Blocks (244), 18th in Solo Blocks (34)
* Lily Barber – 11th in Digs (979), 20th in Assists (286)

APPROACHING A MILESTONE:

Senior libero Lily Barber is only 21 digs away from joining Cornell's 1,000 dig club. The list is exclusive, as only eight players in Big Red volleyball history have accomplished this feat.

WORTHINGTON NAMED IVY LEAGUE ROOKIE OF THE WEEK:

After helping the Big Red to a pair of Ivy League victories last weekend, freshman setter Emma Worthington was named the Ivy League Rookie of the Week, the conference office announced Monday afternoon.

Worthington was a setting machine for the Big Red in its two weekend matches, posting more assists individually in each match than the entire Big Green and Crimson squads. Worthington was on fire on Friday against Dartmouth, collecting a match-high 36 assists (as compared to the Big Green's 21) and 11 digs for her third consecutive double-double. As if this wasn't enough, she also chipped in five kills and a match-best three service aces.

Worthington was just as impressive on Saturday against Harvard, registering a match- and collegiate-best 50 assists and guiding the Big Red to a .353 hitting percentage on the match. She once again contributed in other areas as well, tallying eight digs, five kills, and two block assists.

TWO'S COMPANY:

The weekly honor for Worthington marks the first of her career and the second for the Big Red so far this season, as freshman outside hitter Joanna Chang was tabbed the Ivy League Rookie of the Week on Sept. 30.

ALL TOURNAMENT TEAMS:

The following Big Red players earned a spot on one or more all-tournament teams during the non-conference portion of the schedule:
*Jada Stackhouse was named to the all-tournament team at all three tournaments in which the Big Red competed – The Cornell Invitational, The Bay Area Invitational, and the Blue and White Classic.
*Jenna Phelps was named the Blue and White Classic MVP, also earning a spot on the Bay Area Invitational all-tournament team.
*Jillienne Bennett was named to the Cornell Invitational all-tournament team.
*Joanna Chang earned a spot on the Blue and White Classic all-tournament team.

PRESEASON POLL:

After back-to-back third place Ivy League finishes in 2017 and 2018, the Big Red was selected to once again place third in 2019, the Ivy League announced in its preseason poll on August 29. The Big Red, who received a total of 91 points in the preseason poll, are coming off a season that saw the team go 14-10 overall and 9-5 in conference play, posting the most conference wins since the 2008 campaign.
 
Princeton, who received a league-high 10 first place votes and a total of 120 points, was chosen as the preseason Ivy League favorite. Yale, the 2018 Ivy League Champion, was picked second with five first place votes and 117 points. Harvard received the final first place vote, and was chosen to finish behind Cornell in fourth with 80 points.

A PROGRAM ON THE RISE:

Over the course of the past two years, the Big Red volleyball program has been on the up-and-up, with their back-to-back third place Ivy League finishes marking the best consecutive seasons by Cornell since the program won three straight titles following a second place finish from 2003-06. This season, the team is ready to break through the third place barrier, having their sights set on an Ivy League title.

THE HEAD COACH:

The Big Red is led by Trudy Vande Berg, The Wendy Schaenen '79 Head Coach of Volleyball. Now in her fifth season (56-53), Vande Berg became the 11th head coach in Cornell volleyball history in March 2015 after spending three years with the Big Red as an assistant coach.
The 2017 Ivy League Coach of the Year, Vande Berg has been the guiding force of the Big Red's recent success.

STRENGTH COMES IN NUMBERS:

The Cornell roster is filled with experience and depth, as the squad returns 15 letter winners from 2018, including four All-Ivy League performers. Seniors Samanta Arenas and Jenna Phelps and sophomore Jilliene Bennett will all be faces to watch after earning second team All-Ivy League distinction last year. Senior libero Lily Barber will be a key component of the Big Red defense, coming off of an All-Ivy League Honorable Mention nod in 2018.

FRESH NEW FACES:

Joanna Chang, Riley Hazelrigg, Evan Reich, and Emma Worthington are the newest members of the Cornell volleyball squad, joining the team for the 2019 season. The group, who will make and immediate impact for the Big Red, consists of one pin hitter, one setter, and two defensive specialists.

UP NEXT:

The Big Red will open the second half of Ivy League play when it heads to Columbia on Saturday, Oct. 26 for a 2 p.m. first serve at Levien Gymnasium in New York.