YPSILANTI, Mich. — Cornell women's volleyball battled back from a tight first-set loss Friday night, winning three straight sets to defeat Eastern Michigan, 3-1, at George Gervin GameAbove Center.
Eastern Michigan took the opening set, 26-24, before the Big Red responded with a 25-15 second-set victory. Cornell then edged the Eagles, 26-24, in a back-and-forth third set before closing out the match with a 25-18 win in the fourth.
The Big Red hit .174 as a team and finished with 52 kills, 16 service aces, 13 blocks and 76 digs. Cornell improved to 4-3 on the season with the victory.
The match also marked the 2026 season debut of Haley Clark, who returned to the court after an injury cut her 2025 season short. Clark appeared in all four sets and contributed six digs and an assist in her return to action.
Top Performers
Ava Bogan led Cornell with 16 kills while hitting .600, adding seven total blocks for 20.5 points.
Jaida Sione added 12 kills, while Mackenzie Parsons recorded nine kills, 16 digs and three blocks. Kiran Rio chipped in eight kills, nine digs and two blocks.
Mary Wolcott directed the offense with 41 assists and added 10 digs, while Amrit Dhaliwal contributed seven service aces, seven digs and three blocks.
Set 1 – Eastern Michigan 26, Cornell 24
The Big Red came out swinging in the opening set, building a 6-4 lead after consecutive service aces from Dhaliwal and a kill from Parsons.
Cornell continued to hold the advantage through the early portion of the set, using kills from Bogan and Parsons to move ahead 11-7.
Eastern Michigan answered with a run of its own, eventually pulling even at 13-13. The Eagles later took a 17-13 lead before Cornell battled back behind Bogan and Parsons to make it a one-point set at 19-18.
The teams traded points down the stretch, with Cornell tying the score at 22-22 and again at 23-23 on a Sione kill. After Eastern Michigan reached set point at 24-23, Sione answered with another kill to even the frame at 24-24.
The Eagles scored the final two points, however, taking the opening set, 26-24.
Set 2 – Cornell 25, Eastern Michigan 15
Cornell responded emphatically in the second set.
Eastern Michigan opened with a 2-0 lead, but the Big Red quickly settled in. Rio and Bogan provided early kills before Cornell pulled even at 5-5.
The teams remained tied at 7-7 before Cornell began to create separation. A Bogan kill and a Rio service ace helped the Big Red take an 11-9 lead, and Cornell continued to build from there.
Dhaliwal sparked the Big Red from the service line with a pair of aces during a four-point run that pushed Cornell's advantage to 15-11.
Cornell continued to control the set, scoring nine of the next 13 points to take a commanding 24-14 lead. A Sione kill closed out the frame, 25-15, evening the match at one set apiece.
Set 3 – Cornell 26, Eastern Michigan 24
The third set proved to be another tightly contested battle.
Eastern Michigan took an early 6-1 lead before Cornell began its comeback. The Big Red used service aces from Parsons to pull within one at 7-6 before eventually taking a 9-7 lead.
The Eagles answered, and the teams traded points throughout the middle portion of the set. Eastern Michigan regained the lead at 12-11 before Cornell moved back in front behind kills from Bogan and Sione.
The Big Red led 15-12 before Eastern Michigan rallied to tie the score at 17-17. The teams continued to exchange points, with neither side able to create separation.
Cornell reached a 21-19 advantage following a Bogan kill, but Eastern Michigan responded with three straight points to take a 22-21 lead.
The Big Red answered once more, with Sione tying the set at 22-22. After the Eagles reached set point at 24-23, Parsons delivered a kill to extend the frame.
With the score tied at 24-24, Cornell closed out the set with back-to-back points, including the winning kill from Parsons, to take a 26-24 victory and a 2-1 match lead.
Set 4 – Cornell 25, Eastern Michigan 18
Cornell carried its momentum into the fourth set, opening with a 4-0 lead behind Rio, Parsons and Bogan.
The Big Red continued to control the set, building a 9-2 advantage after consecutive points from Bogan and Rio.
Eastern Michigan fought back to cut the deficit to 12-6, but Cornell answered with another strong stretch. Bogan continued to make an impact at the net, while Rio and Sione added kills to keep the Big Red comfortably ahead.
Cornell led 19-12 following a Bogan kill before the Eagles mounted one final push, scoring three straight points to make it 19-15.
The Big Red quickly shut down the rally. Sione and Dhaliwal provided points as Cornell pushed its lead back to 22-16, and Wolcott followed with an ace to put Cornell at match point.
Another Eastern Michigan point extended the set, but Wolcott closed out the match with an ace as Cornell secured the 25-18 victory and the 3-1 decision.
The Big Red finished the night with 52 kills, 16 service aces, 13 blocks and 76 digs, while holding Eastern Michigan to a .089 hitting percentage.
Up Next
Cornell continues play Saturday at the University of Michigan, with the match set for noon ET.
