Saturday was a bounce-back day for Cornell’s volleyball team, which won all six sets during a 2-0 performance at Coe’s Mabel Lee Invitational inside Kohawk Arena.
The Rams were dominant in sweeps over Carroll (25-15, 25-15, 25-17) and NCAA votes-getter St. Olaf (25-13, 25-21, 25-22), one day after dropping a 3-0 home match to Augustana.
Cornell made a statement against 26th-ranked St. Olaf, holding the Oles’ attack to .009 hitting while amassing 33 kills of its own. The Rams totaled 11 team blocks, eight coming from Rory Light who also delivered seven kills.
Setter Clare Green recorded a double-double with 29 assists and 10 digs. Ilah Perez-Johnson and Ella McLaughlin shared team-high honors with eight kills apiece. Perez-Johnson also served three aces. Ella Becker led all players with 15 digs.
Cornell’s defense was equally stingy against Carroll with 13 blocks. Carroll finished with a minus-.061 attack percentage.
Light had another big match with eight blocks and a team-best 11 kills on .476 hitting. Perez-Johnson had six kills and led the team with 11 digs.
The Rams planted 10 ace serves, including three from Green and two each from Perez-Johnson, Olivia Richards and Tendall Weigand. Green handed out 22 assists. Carly Puffer and Perez-Johnson contributed five blocks each.
Earlier in the week, Coe took the win in the Bremner cup series with a 29-27, 25-23, 25-23 showing against the Rams.
The Rams came up a few plays short and the rival Kohawks finished with a hard-fought point in the 2022-23 Bremner Cup All-Sport Series, which Coe now leads 2-1.
The Rams charged back from an early 13-4 deficit in the third set. A 4-0 service run by Perez-Johnson knotted the score at 22-22, when Cornell’s comeback stalled.
Senior Grace Marti delivered five kills in Set 1 and finished with a match-high 12 to pace the Rams.
Light accounted for eight kills and five blocks. Perez-Johnson added seven kills and nine digs.
Cornell also had a 25-21, 25-22 and 27-25 loss to Augustana.
The nonconference “home” contest was played a few blocks off campus due to final preparations being made to Cornell’s new gym floor in the Small Athletic and Wellness Center. The Rams are expected to christen their home court on the next home date Sept. 28 against Loras.
The Rams (2-3) couldn’t quite get on track in Friday’s match, which was tied 36 times and saw the Vikings (4-2) nudge ahead at the end of each set.
Cornell had chances to extend the match in the third set, three times serving for set point. Augustana scored the final three points to close the night.
Light paced the Rams with 10 kills and five blocks. Perez-Johnson had seven kills, 11 digs and four blocks. Marti added six kills and four blocks.
Green dished 30 assists and served back-to-back aces late in Set 3 that put Cornell ahead 24-22.
Coming up – Cornell travels to St. Paul, Minn., next weekend for the Bethel Quadrangular. The Rams play Bethel at 6 p.m. Friday, followed by Saturday matches against No. 18 nationally-ranked Wartburg and St. Olaf.