The Rams came away with a split against two Top 25 nationally-ranked opponents during Saturday’s Cornell Volleyball Quadrangular inside the Small Athletic and Wellness Center.
Playing without senior star Rory Light, Cornell stepped up to the task with an impressive 25-13, 25-22, 25-17 opening sweep over No. 21-rated Illinois Wesleyan. The Rams then got a crack at defending national champion and 11th-ranked UW-Eau Claire and fell in four sets, 25-18, 25-17, 20-25 and 25-20.
Senior middle blocker Grace Marti represented Cornell on the all-tournament team. She accounted for 21 kills and eight blocks in two matches. Marti hit .346 with 12 kills and five blocks against Illinois Wesleyan.
The Rams outhit Illinois Wesleyan, .242 to .093, and totaled nine team blocks. Clare Green set 31 assists, 13 going to Ella McLaughlin. Ella Becker and Olivia Richards had 13 and 11 digs, respectively.
Ilah Perez-Johnson turned in a big double-double with 17 digs and 15 kills in the four-set loss to UW-Eau Claire. Becker scooped 21 digs and served two aces. Green handed out 39 assists.
Marti added nine kills, McLaughlin eight and Carly Puffer seven.
Earlier in the week, the Rams picked up a 25-19, 25-21, 25-22 nonconference sweep over Loras inside the Small Athletic and Wellness Center.
Light and Marti both recorded 10 kills and hit over .300 to lead a balanced attack. Light eclipsed 800 kills for her career. Marti hit an efficient .350 on 20 swings.
Sophomore setter Clare Green also reached a career milestone, topping 1,500 assists as a Ram. She handed out 33 assists against the Duhawks (4-11) and completed a double-double with 11 digs.
The Rams received nine kills apiece from Perez-Johnson and McLaughlin, the reigning MWC Offensive Performer of the Week. McLaughlin’s spike ended the night on Cornell’s sixth match-point chance in the third set.
Becker led the Rams’ back row with 14 digs. Richards had 10 digs and served two aces.
Cornell registered 10 team blocks and held Loras to .109 hitting for the match. Light finished with four blocks, followed by Marti and McLaughlin with three apiece.
Rams volleyball splits weekend contests
October 6, 2022