ITHACA, N.Y. - The University of Pennsylvania women's volleyball team (8-8, 3-4 Ivy) fell on the road late Saturday afternoon to Cornell (8-8, 4-3 Ivy) losing in four sets, 3-1 (25-23, 20-25, 21-25, 21-25). The Quakers have now officially finished the first half of Ivy League play with a 3-4 record, five of those games coming on the road. Penn will now have five straight home games to begin the second half of Ivy play which could give them a much needed boost.
*Inside The Numbers
* The Quakers finish the first half of Ivy League play with a 3-4 record.
* Penn was 8-1 when winning the first set this season, the only loss coming to Harvard. Despite winning the first set, the Quakers were out-hit in all four sets and finished the match hitting .195 to Cornell's .315.
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Parker Jones hit 19 kills, it was her third straight match hitting 15 or more, and fifth time this season. Her team was 4-0 in the matches prior to Saturday. Jones also had four aces, a career-high for the freshman.
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Hayley Molnar hit double-digit kills for the fourth time in the last five matches.
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Sydney Morton was the lone quaker with a double-double. The senior had 37 assists, her fewest mark since September 29th when the team played Yale. She also had 11 digs which marks the fourth time in five matches with 10 or more digs.
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Caroline Furrer and
Michelle Pereira finished with 14 digs each.
*How It Happened
Looking to win their third straight match, the Quakers would need a fast start on the road against a Cornell team that beat the first place Princeton Tigers the night before. The Red and Blue got off to the start they needed going up a quick 7-5 with help from
Hayley Molnar,
Kendall Covington,
Raven Sulaimon, and
Parker Jones. However, a 5-0 run from Cornell and Penn found themselves down 11-8 midway through the set.
Three kills by Jones in a run of four straight points put the Quakers up 15-14 and started of a back and fourth consisting of three lead changes. Tied at 22-22, once again like the night before, it was the freshman Sulaimon who came up big when her team needed it. Sulaimon hit two of the Red and Blue's final three kills, including the one to secure the first set 25-23.
Up one set to none, the Quakers seemed to be in good position as they were 8-1 when taking the first set this season, the only loss coming to Harvard. However, in the final three sets, it was Cornell that got off to fast starts that Penn was unable to overcome. In set two it was an 11-6 start, set three Cornell came out to a 9-5 lead, and in the final set the Quakers fell down 13-6.
While Penn fought back to tie it at 18 in set three, Cornell scored seven of the final ten points to take the two set to one lead. In the final set, the Quakers once again fought back to overcome the early deficit cutting the lead to two points, but like the set before, it was too late.The Big Red took four of the final five points as the Quakers fell 3-1.
*What's Next
The Quakers kick off the second half of Ivy League play at home on Friday against Princeton at 7 p.m. That match will begin a home stand in which Penn will play five straight matches at the Palestra, something that could play a big role as the season winds down.
