VALPARAISO, Ind. – The Cornell volleyball team (3-2) notched a 3-1 win over tournament host Valparaiso Friday evening at the Popcorn Classic.
Three hitter for the Big Red finished with double-digit kills paced by junior outside hitter Eliza Konvicka. Konvicka recorded 15 kills on .256 hitting percentage with 11 digs for her second double-double of the season.
Freshman Mackenzie Parsons notched the highest hitting percentage with .400 on 12 kills on top of three key aces and five blocks.
Sophomore Jaida Sione logged 11 kills for the Big Red while Camryn Carlo was recorded a season best nine blocks to demonstrate presence at the net.
First Set (27-25 Cornell)
After a back and forth open, the Beacons utilized a three-point run to claim a 6-11 edge.
Cornell then climbed back by scoring six points in a seven-point stretch, including a 3-0 spurt punctuated by two blocks by Carlo, to tie it up at 15-15 and forcing Valpo into a timeout.
Back and forth in the middle of set, Cornell pulls ahead with two kills and an ace from Haley Clark to bring it to 24-24.
Going into extra innings, the Big Red benefits off of Valpo errors to take the set 27-25
Second Set (14-25 Valpo)
Valpo opens the set with a 4-1 run that gets snaped by back to back Parsons and Carlo kills to bring the set to 3-4.
The Beacons continued with a 8-3 run making it 6-12.
The Big Red chipped away at the lead with two Konvicka kills and a solo block from Parsons to bring it to 11-15.
The Beacons then scored six of the final eight points to take the frame, 14-25.
Third Set (25-17 Cornell)
An ace from Doga Ozalp starts the match for the Big Red followed by kills from Sione and Konvicka.
After an error from the Beacons, Cornell goes on a 4-0 run to make it 7-2.
Valpo answers with a 6-0 lead to jump ahead 7-8, followed by a Konvicka kill to tie it up 8-8.
The Big Red and Beacons battle back and forth tying it up three separate times at 9-9, 10-10 and 11-11 before Cornell goes 8-2 to pull ahead at 19-13.
Cornell ends the set with two kills from Parsons and an ace from Clark to top off the set at 25-17.
Fourth Set (29-27 Cornell)
First point of set four is a kill from Konvicka, her 10th of the game.
The Beacons started the set with a 4-1 run to start the Big Red at a deficit.
Then a five-point rally by the Big Red featuring two aces from Parsons followed by a kill from Sione brought the Big Red within one point of Valpo 10-11.
Konvicka comes in to tie it up at 15-15 with a kill.
Trailing 19-22 Sione strikes with two kills and Parsons adds her third ace of the match to tie the set at 22-22.
Meghan Gaffigan slammed a rally stopper before Konvicka kill provided the Big Red a 27-26 edge. The game was tied one more time at 27-27 before Konvicka ended it with two kills at 29-27.
Match Notes
Up Next
The Big Red will face Miami OH Saturday Sept. 14 in the final game of the Popcorn Classic at 11 a.m.
