Volleyball Sweeps Penn After Loss to Princeton

Final weekend, volleyball (7-14, 5-7 Ivy) concluded the 2023 house slate by taking down Penn (4-18, 2-10 Ivy) on Saturday Nov. 4, after being swept by Princeton (11-8, 8-3 Ivy) on Friday, Nov. 3.

Early within the first set towards the Tigers, the Crimson discovered itself dueling onerous to maintain up with Princeton’s momentum. Cornell managed to chop the deficit to only one after a kill by junior center blocker Camryn Carlo left the rating 7-6 Princeton, however that was the closest the Crimson would get to the Tigers for the remainder of the set.

“We got here out fairly flat and simply couldn’t get ourselves out of it,” stated head coach Trudy Vande Berg.

When the rating was deadlocked at 24-14 Princeton, the Crimson went on a 3-0 run that will push the rating to 24-17, however a kill by Princeton’s Mariah Haislip would seal the primary set.

“The group went on slightly run on the finish of the set to push the rating to 17,” Vande Berg stated.
“Up till that time, they had been tentative and afraid to make errors, however in the direction of the top they had been similar to, ‘What’ve we received to lose?’”

The Crimson evidently introduced that mindset into the second set, because it took an early 4-2 lead after two kills by sophomore center blocker Eliza Konvicka. Nevertheless, the script appeared to flip instantly, because the Tigers went on a 3-0 run that will grace them with a 5-4 benefit. Very like the primary set, Princeton would experience the momentum to take a 15-9 lead, however the Crimson would lower that deficit to a few afterward within the set. Cornell’s efforts weren’t sufficient, nonetheless, and the Tigers would take the second set 25-20.

“It’s onerous to get a group like Princeton out of its rhythm as soon as we allow them to get into it,” Vande Berg stated. “Regardless that we began enjoying higher in the direction of the top, which I used to be actually glad to see, I feel it was already slightly too late.”

The third set was undoubtedly the Crimson’s finest, because it took a 12-11 lead on an ace by junior libero Megan Bickle. The lead would fizzle out rapidly, as a 7-2 run by the Tiger’s would give them a four-point cushion. The Crimson would reply and lower the deficit to at least one, resulting in a Tiger timeout. The stoppage could be detrimental for the Crimson, as Princeton would go on to win the set and the match on a 5-3 run.

“After we come out tentative like we did in that match, it normally solely goes downhill. However this time, the group began to combat slightly extra as time went on, which actually displays what we’ve been engaged on in observe,” Vande Berg stated.

Within the match towards Penn the subsequent day, the Crimson performed their final house recreation of the common season with tenacity and grit.

“I actually spoke to the group about popping out towards Penn with extra urgency and power than we did towards Princeton. We couldn’t enable ourselves to be tentative once more,” Vande Berg stated.

The group internalized the recommendation and swept Penn in three straight units.

The Crimson got here out firing within the first set and took an 8-4 lead on two kills apiece by senior libero Kate Stration and Konvicka.

“Kate got here and performed outdoors hitter for the primary time in her profession, and she or he actually confirmed up. [She] did plenty of nice issues for us,” Vande Berg stated.

Stration was one of many 4 seniors on the group being celebrated on Saturday night time. By means of her efficiency, she exemplified the talent and resilience of every of the seniors each on and off of the court docket. In opposition to Penn, she recorded a career-high 12 kills, two of which she would use within the first set to interrupt the tie of 12 apiece. The Crimson would go on a 5-0 run that will give it a 17-6 lead it might use to grab the set, 25-17.

Regardless of the low rating of the primary set, the Quakers would shake issues up within the second by taking an early 6-5 lead on a ball-handling error by the Crimson. The Crimson would shut the hole after a kill by sophomore setter Doga Ozalp and take a 8-6 lead. The Quaker’s would proceed to hold round, however a run highlighted by three aces from Bickle would give Cornell the second set, 25-16.

With momentum firmly on its facet, the Crimson would smash the Quakers within the third set and safe the win, 25-16. The excessive of the win was nonetheless buzzing in Newman Enviornment because it celebrated the 4 seniors — Sydney Moore, Rylee Baptiste, Alexa Orent and Kate Striation — who’ve balanced their educational and athletic objectives right here at Cornell for 4 years.

This weekend, the Crimson hits the street to play its final two matches of the common season towards Brown and Yale.

“In an effort to get that spot within the Ivy League event, issues must go otherwise for us. We’re going to should win two matches towards two very nice groups, which I feel our group has the potential to do,” Vande Berg stated. “What’ve we received to lose? Let’s see what occurs.”