PHILADELPHIA – The University of Pennsylvania volleyball team (10-10, 3-8) picked up a thrilling 3-1 victory over the Harvard Crimson (5-15, 3-8) on Friday night at The Palestra.
 
From the get-go, the Quakers came out on fire, taking a seven-point lead on three occasions, including a 14-7 advantage. The Crimson fought back in the set, even tying the set at 21-21, but the Red and Blue got a critical ace by Caroline Douglas and a set sealing block by Daia Ernst and Daniela Fornaciari to take it 25-23.
 
After an initial 8-7 lead by Harvard in the second, the Quakers responded with another run, taking six of the next seven points and never looking back, taking the set 25-21. After no player recorded more than two kills in the first set, the Quakers got four from Parker Jones and three each from Ernst and Autumn Leak. As a team, the Quakers also recorded five blocks, including four of Fornaciari's seven in the match.
 
The Quakers hit a speed bump in the third set, making some costly errors early on which allowed the Crimson to jump out to a 10-3 lead. Unfortunately, the hole proved to be too large to come back from, as the Crimson took the third set 25-15.
 
However, quick adjustments from the team and Head Coach Iain Braddak proved consequential in the fourth set. A quick 6-1 advantage behind a block and a kill from Fornaciari gave the Quakers a much-needed cushion. The Crimson were able to claw their way back in the match, taking a 13-11 lead, before the Quakers took off on a 9-1 run sparked by three kills from Leak. Leak and Raven Sulaimon helped seal the victory, with three kills in the final seven points, winning 25-20.
 
Leak and Ernst proved to be incredibly efficient throughout the match, standing out from a night where both teams had hitting percentages below .150. Leak notched 11 kills and a .360 hitting percentage, while Ernst tallied seven kills and a .316 hitting percentage in the match.
 
Penn finishes their home slate at The Palestra on Saturday at 5 p.m. as they celebrate Senior Night and host the Dartmouth Big Green.