PRINCETON, N.J. – Cornell volleyball heads to the Ivy League Tournament this weekend and will open semifinal play against Yale on Friday night at Dillon Gymnasium on the campus of Princeton University.
GAME INFO
Princeton (1) vs. Brown (4)
Friday, Nov. 21 at 4 p.m.
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Cornell (2) vs. Yale (3)
Friday, Nov. 21 at 7 p.m.
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Winner of Semifinal #1 vs. Winner of Semifinal #2
Saturday, Nov. 22 at 6 p.m.
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CORNELL'S PATH TO THE IVY TOURNAMENT
Cornell opened the season 5–5 in nonconference play, highlighted by wins over Canisius, Colgate, Niagara, Buffalo and Texas A&M–Corpus Christi, along with a tight battle against No. 9 TCU.
The Big Red surged into Ivy League play with six straight wins before falling to Penn on Oct. 18. Cornell closed the regular season 10–4 in conference action, securing the No. 2 seed — its best Ivy finish since 2019.
Cornell returns to the tournament for the second straight year, once again meeting Yale in the semifinal after falling to the Bulldogs in four sets last season. This time, the Big Red arrive with renewed fire and a year's worth of experience.
"We've played here, we've won here, and the tournament was here last year too," said The Wendy Schaenen '79 Head Coach of Volleyball Trudy Vande Berg. "With this team, where we play doesn't have much of an impact on us. We impact ourselves and choose who shows up on the court ready to play."
Vande Berg noted that despite facing the same field and same venue as 2024, this year's group enters with a sharpened edge.
"This year is no different than last year. Our mindset is to win, not because we want to but because we can," she said. "This year it was expected to get here — now we need to execute. The team has gone from chasing to being the chased, and that level of pressure has only made them better."
Cornell's four Ivy losses this season came against Penn, Dartmouth (in five sets), Princeton and Yale.
SEASON STANDOUTS
Three-time Ivy League Player of the Week Eliza Konvicka surpassed 1,000 career kills early this season and continues to rank among the nation's leaders in aces per set. She remains one of the league's most dangerous offensive weapons.
Sophomore middle blocker Mackenzie Parsons has emerged as a high-efficiency hitter, earning Ivy co-Player of the Week honors and recording a .700 hitting percentage against Yale last Friday. She enters the postseason ranked 16th nationally at .438.
Junior middle Ava Bogan anchors Cornell's net defense with more than 100 blocks this season, while junior libero Sara Pomar continues to stabilize the backcourt with consistent passing and defensive coverage. Freshman C.J. Holdsworth has also become a key contributor since midseason, adding depth in both digs and service pressure.
Cornell's setter unit adds another storyline heading into the weekend. Freshman setter Mikayla Gray missed last weekend due to a concussion sustained in practice and remains day-to-day.
"She may be back this weekend or may not — it depends on how she feels," Vande Berg said.
Despite Gray's absence, the Big Red didn't miss a beat thanks to freshman Mary Wolcott, who stepped in seamlessly.
"Mary stepped in and did great, without hesitation, showing just how deep our roster goes," Vande Berg said. "Anyone is ready to step up at any time and execute."
Senior Doga Ozalp, who surpassed 2,000 career assists this season, continues to drive the offense alongside Cornell's emerging young setters.
Cornell's depth at the pins is equally strong, with senior hitters Nicole Mallus and Meghan Gaffigan bringing experience, energy and put-away swings. Jaida Sione has also provided steady production, using her court awareness to find one-on-one scoring opportunities.
At the core of this season's success, Vande Berg said, is the group's unity.
"They have chemistry on and off the court. They get along, and that goes a long way when you're in the heat of the moment," she said. "They look out for each other. They communicate so well — that's something that falls on them. I can't coach that into them. They're cohesive, and when they're on, they're on."
SCOUTING YALE
Yale enters the tournament 14–8 overall and 10–4 in Ivy League play, with losses to Princeton, Cornell, Brown and Penn. The Bulldogs closed the regular season with wins over Cornell and Columbia.
First-year outside hitter Ava Poinsett leads Yale with 291 kills (3.82 per set), while senior setter Halle Sherlock directs the offense with 464 assists (10.09 per set).
Defensively, junior libero Arya Jue leads the team with 202 digs (4.12 per set). At the net, junior middle Laurece Abraham has posted 49 blocks, while sophomore Cam Bolane has added 35.
As a team, Yale ranks second in the Ivy League in hitting percentage at .266, just ahead of Cornell's .251.
Vande Berg believes Cornell stacks up well against the entire tournament field.
"We are 4–2 against the other teams coming this weekend — we have the best track record of everyone there," she said. "If we take care of ourselves and stick to the game plan, we will win."
UP NEXT
With a win on Friday, Cornell would advance to Saturday's championship match against the winner of Princeton vs. Brown.
