PHILADELPHIA — Cornell women's volleyball overcame a six-point second-set deficit Friday night, rallying to defeat Penn, 3-0, at The Palestra and remain unbeaten in Ivy League play.
The Big Red claimed the opening set, 25-23, before rallying from a five-point deficit in the second. Trailing 18-13, Cornell scored five straight points to pull even at 18-18 before outlasting the Quakers, 31-29, in an extended set. Cornell then closed out the match with another 25-23 victory in the third.
"It really comes down to the trust we have for each other. We never doubt each other, even when we are down, and that's how we fight to rally back and pull off a win," said senior middle blocker Ava Bogan.
Cornell improved to 6-5 overall and 2-0 in Ivy League play with the win. The Big Red hit .124 as a team and finished with 45 kills, four service aces, 10 total blocks and 71 digs while limiting Penn to a .082 hitting percentage.
Top Performers
Jaida Sione led Cornell with 12 kills and added four total blocks for 14.5 points.
Mackenzie Parsons contributed 11 kills while hitting .276, along with three blocks. Kiran Rio added nine kills and 11 digs.
Bogan recorded seven kills and a team-high six blocks, while Mary Wolcott directed the offense with 27 assists and added 11 digs.
Haley Clark contributed two service aces and six digs, helping the Big Red secure the sweep on the road.
Set 1 – Cornell 25, Penn 23
Cornell weathered an early Penn run before battling back to take the opening set, 25-23.
The Quakers built an early 7-2 lead, but the Big Red responded with a strong stretch at the service line. Parsons sparked the run with a kill before Cornell capitalized on a series of Penn attack errors to take an 11-10 advantage.
The teams traded points throughout the middle of the set, with Cornell holding a narrow 13-12 lead before Penn moved back in front. The Quakers extended their advantage to 18-14, but Cornell continued to chip away.
Parsons delivered consecutive kills to help bring the Big Red within one at 18-17 and 18-18. Cornell later regained control, using a series of Penn attack errors and strong blocking from Sione and Bogan to build a 24-21 lead.
Penn fought off two set points, cutting the deficit to 24-23, but Sione delivered the decisive kill to give Cornell the 25-23 victory.
Set 2 – Cornell 31, Penn 29
Cornell delivered its most dramatic stretch of the night in the second set, rallying from a five-point deficit to take a 2-0 match lead with a 31-29 victory.
Penn built an early 6-3 advantage before extending its lead to 10-4. Cornell responded with three straight points, including kills from Kiran Rio and Mackenzie Parsons, to pull within 10-7. The Quakers answered, however, eventually building an 18-13 advantage.
The Big Red then turned the set around, scoring five straight points to erase the deficit and tie the score at 18-18. Jaida Sione and Sydney Zanca recorded kills during the run, while Cornell also capitalized on a pair of Penn attack errors and a block from Sione and Ava Bogan.
From there, neither team could create separation. Penn moved ahead 20-19 and later held leads of 23-21 and 24-22, but Cornell continued to answer. A kill from Rio and a Penn attack error helped the Big Red pull even at 23-23, and the teams traded points until reaching 25-25.
Cornell took a 26-25 lead on a Penn attack error, but the Quakers answered to move ahead 27-26. Parsons then delivered a kill to tie the set at 27-27 before Sione put Cornell ahead, 28-27. Penn tied the score at 28-28 and took a 29-28 lead, but a Penn service error brought Cornell even at 29-29.
Bogan then delivered a kill to give the Big Red a 30-29 advantage, and another Penn attack error gave Cornell the 31-29 victory and a two-set lead.
Set 3 – Cornell 25, Penn 23
Cornell carried its momentum into the third set, opening with a 4-1 lead before Penn fought back and eventually took a 9-7 advantage.
The Big Red answered with a strong stretch of its own, using a block from Sione and Bogan and a service ace from Wolcott to pull even at 10-10.
Cornell regained the lead and began to create separation. Kills from Sione and Rio helped the Big Red move ahead 13-11, while Bogan added another kill as Cornell extended its advantage to 16-12.
The Big Red continued to maintain control, pushing the lead to 18-13 before Penn mounted another rally. The Quakers scored three straight points to cut the deficit to 18-16, but Parsons answered with a kill to keep Cornell in front.
Penn continued to battle, closing within one at 21-20 and then tying the set at 22-22. Sione responded with a kill to give Cornell a 23-22 lead, and a Penn attack error pushed the Big Red to match point at 24-22.
The Quakers fought off one match point, but Bogan delivered the final kill to secure the 25-23 set victory and complete Cornell's three-set sweep.
Up Next
Cornell continues its Ivy League road swing Saturday, Oct. 3, when it travels to Princeton. First serve is scheduled for 5 p.m.
