CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - The University of Pennsylvania volleyball team (12-11, 7-7 Ivy) finished their 2017 season on Saturday night as they fell to the Harvard Crimson 3-1 (25-15, 22-25, 24-26, 20-25). While not finishing the year in the fashion they would have liked, the Quakers ended with a 12-11 overall record and 7-7 in the Ivy League. It is their best record since 2015 when they finished 13-13 and the first time they have finished with a winning overall record since 2013.
Inside the Numbers
* The Quakers finish 7-7 in the Ivy League for the first time since 2015 and end the season with an overall winning record since 2013.
* Penn's 15 points allowed in the first set marked the least amount of points they had given up in a set to Harvard since 2013.
* The Red and Blue were out-hit by the Crimson .271 to .233.
*
Kendall Covington finished game with 15 kills, a team high. It also marked a career high for the senior in what will be her last game as a Quaker. She also lead the team with four blocks.
* Along with
Kendall Covington the entire senior class finished off their careers in a Penn uniform.
Hayley Molnar ended with six kills,
Sydney Morton totaled 47 assists,
Emily Friedler ended with eight digs while
Michelle Pereira finished with six digs.
*
Raven Sulaimon also had one of her best games in her freshman year. Sulaimon finished with 13 kills, her most in a four set match, which also ties her career high.
*
Parker Jones ended the year with her 13th double-double. Jones had 14 kills to go with 13 digs.
* For the sixth time this season,
Caroline Furrer ended the match with 20 digs which lead the team.
How it Happened
After losing the night before to Dartmouth, the Quakers looked to end the season on a high note against the Crimson and after an energetic first set that was all Penn it looked like that may be the case. The Quakers came out fast taking six of the first nine points with the help of two kills from
Hayley Molnar. A 5-0 run made the score 11-4 and then two aces from
Sydney Morton capped off a 4-0 run to give The Red and Blue a nine point lead. A kill from
Parker Jones ended the first set 25-15 to give the Quakers a 1-0 lead on the road.
At that point Harvard took control with the help from early leads in the second, third and fourth sets. The Crimson took a 10-5 lead in set two, a 12-7 lead in set three, and an 8-4 lead in the fourth and final set that ended up being too much for the Quakers to overcome.
While Penn did make a push in all three sets, all three times they were unable to complete the comeback. Down 21-16 in the second set, a kill from
Kendall Covington sparked a 4-0 run to cut the deficit to just one. In the third set, Penn saved three set points with kills from Molnar and Covington to tie the score at 24. However, the Crimson won the next two points to take the set. Finally, in the fourth set, down 23-13, The Red and Blue never gave up winning seven of the next eight points to make the score 24-20, however, needing just one point, the Crimson won the final point take win the set 25-20 and the match 3-1.
What's Next
With the loss, it marks the end of the 2017 season for Penn. While not the result the Quakers were looking for, the team still managed to end the season 7-7 in Ivy League play which is an improvement from last year and their 12-11 record marks their best winning percentage since 2013.
Katie Schumacher-Cawley's seven Ivy League wins are the most for a first year head coach for Penn Volleyball and with three time Ivy League rookie of the Week,
Parker Jones, on the team, the future is bright.
