BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Cornell volleyball team (5-2) got off to a hot start at the Blue and White Classic, recording its third straight win with a 3-0 (25-17, 25-15, 25-18) sweep of Canisius Friday morning at Alumni Arena in Buffalo, N.Y.
Led by Joanna Chang's game-high nine kills, the Big Red notched 40 kills as compared to Canisius' 24, ultimately out-hitting the Golden Griffins .267 to .052 over the course of the three set contest. The Big Red attack came from all angles, as 10 different Cornell players registered at least one kill. In addition to Chang, Jenna Phelps (six), Avery Hanan (five), Lauren Stubbs (five) and Jada Stackhouse (five) were firing on all-cylinders, each tallying at least a handful of kills.
The Big Red also made its presence known from the serving line, notching eight service aces as opposed to the Golden Griffins' two. Freshmen Chang (3) and Emma Worthington (2) combined for five of the eight Big Red aces, while Lily Barber, Zoe Chamness, and Stackhouse all chipped in one. Worthington's aces were particularly impressive, coming on back-to-back plays in the third set.
Barber had herself a game from the back row, collecting a game-high 17 digs to go along with four assists. Chamness and Worthington continue to make a dynamic passing duo, registering 18 and 16 assists, respectively.
Cornell's 25-17 set one win was a total team effort, with Madison Baptiste, Chang, Phelps, and Hanan each collecting a pair of kills and Stackhouse adding three of her own in the closing points of the opening stanza to seal the deal for the Big Red. Through the first set, Cornell held Canisius to a .049 hitting percentage, while Cornell hit .259.
The second set was very back-and-forth early on, including six ties and three lead changes before the Big Red pulled away. With the score at 7-6 in favor of Cornell, the Big Red would never trail for the remainder of the set, going on to win, 25-15.
The Big Red opened the third set on a 4-0 run before the Golden Griffins came storming back to tie the score up at 6-6. This did not phase Cornell, however, as the Big Red scored the next three points on a Stubbs' kill, Canisius attack error, and Casey Justus kill to create a 9-6 lead and force a Canisius timeout. The timeout would not provide much help to the Golden Griffens, as Worthington notched back-to-back service aces out of the timeout to give the Big Red an 11-6 lead that would never faulter. Cornell would win set three, 25-18.
The Cornell volleyball team will be back in action this evening when they face the host of the Blue and White Classic, Buffalo, at 6:30 p.m. at Alumni Arena, in Buffalo, N.Y.
