Revered military general, president and founding father George Washington famously wrote in a 1799 letter, “make them believe that offensive operations, oftentimes, is the surest, if not the only (in some cases) means of defence.”
This past weekend, the Red (8-5, 3-0 Ivy) went to war with two of its Ivy League foes — the Harvard Crimson (3-8, 2-1 Ivy) and the Dartmouth Big Green (4-9, 1-2 Ivy). With the help of its towering front line and impenetrable backline defense, Cornell swept both matches in emphatic fashion.
In front of a lively Newman Arena crowd, the Red delivered a dominant performance Friday night, sweeping Harvard to remain undefeated in Ivy League play. The Red showcased control, depth and resilience throughout the match.
The victory was especially meaningful for Cornell, which had fallen to Harvard in their last two meetings, first in straight sets (0–3) and then in a four-set loss (1–3). This time, the Red turned the tables with confidence and composure, never allowing Harvard to gain momentum.
The first set was a back-and-forth battle, with Harvard taking an early edge before Cornell found its rhythm. The Crimson tried to rattle the Red with well-placed serves, but Cornell responded with poise. The energy in the arena surged as The Red’s defense locked in and the offense took over. Harvard called a timeout with Cornell narrowly ahead, but strong blocking and a final kill by sophomore outside hitter Haley Clark closed out the set 25–21 and secured a 1-0 match lead.
Cornell carried the same energy into the second set. Despite another tight start, the Red pulled away in the second half, led by efficient hitting and consistent serving. Harvard called a timeout trailing 20–18, but Cornell’s momentum proved unstoppable. With a well-placed serve, senior setter Doga Ozalp closed the set, 25–19 in favor of the Red to go up 2–0.
The third set highlighted Cornell’s all-around attack. A 14–5 start put the Crimson on their heels, with standout blocking at the net from junior right side/middle blocker Ava Bogan and sophomore middle blocker Mackenzie Parsons. Harvard managed a brief rally to cut their deficit to four, prompting a Cornell timeout. The Red quickly responded with tight defense, smooth serve-receives, and accurate sets that helped inch Cornell closer to victory.
With the crowd on its feet, a final kill by senior outside/opposite hitter Meghan Gaffigan sealed the 25–17 victory and the 3–0 match sweep.
The Red outperformed Harvard across all categories, posting a .284 hitting percentage to Harvard’s .093. The Red recorded 43 kills to the Crimson’s 29, along with 38 assists, 8 blocks and 46 digs. The victory was a complete team effort, combining sharp offense, relentless defense and high energy from start to finish.
“I would say we have gotten so much better at turning the game around when we get stuck in holes,” said freshman setter Mikayla Gray. “We understand that we may get caught in a loss of momentum at some point in the game, but we are quick to recognize it and immediately turn the game around by staying composed and adjusting our strategy.”
The following night, the Red took on the Dartmouth Big Green and swept the match in three sets.
In the opening set, it was clear that Cornell’s energy from the night prior had transferred over.
The Red opened up with an early 12-6 lead, in part because of three blocks from the front line and intelligent hitting by senior outside/opposite hitter Nicole Mallus and Clark.
However, as the set continued, the Big Green engineered a ferocious five-point scoring run to minimize a four-point deficit down to one point.
After a timeout to regroup and settle the energy, the Red responded with an 8-2 run that featured service aces, blocks and kills from a variety of players. Ultimately, the Red would claim the set with its 25th point fittingly coming off a duet block by Bogan and Gaffigan.
In the second set, the Big Green came out with a stronger force, challenging Cornell’s serve-receive techniques. A tit-for-tat outing saw the game knotted up at eight apiece, before a couple of errors saw the Red fall into a three-point hole.
Another situationally-smart timeout by head coach Trudy Vande Berg seemed to do the trick. From this point, both squads would trade small scoring runs until the game was once again knotted at 20 apiece. The Red demonstrated its resiliency by finishing the set on a 5-3 run, claiming every extended rally.
“Our stamina is something we have definitely intentionally worked on in the recent practices with drills preparing us for these long rallies,” Gray said. “We all know that winning those long volleys is key to keeping the momentum of the game.
In the final set, Cornell put its foot on the gas pedal and never looked back. An early 11-3 lead featured more Parsons and Bogan magic. Both players recorded two kills, and Bogan in particular added on two straight blocks.
“Our middles are just incredibly athletic, and they are a crucial part of the first half of our defense. They both are so big and aggressive at the net, they really challenge our opponents to hit around their block,” Gray reflected. “Especially in our Harvard game, Mackenzie was absolutely killing it in the back row. Usually, when the middle is in the back row, teams target that player, but Mackenzie was passing dimes all day, showing that middles can still be great defensively behind the ten-foot line.”
Cornell went on to claim the third set on a final swing by Parsons, to cap off a game to remember for the middle blockers.
Over the past four games, the Red is 12-1 in sets and 4-0 in matches. Led by dominant forces at middle blocker, crafty outside/opposite hitters and an impenetrable back line quarterbacked by junior libero/setter Sara Pomar, Cornell has firmly established itself as the gold standard in the Ivy League.
“I think communication is everything, but it’s also more than just talking a lot — it's about effective communication. In tough moments, it's easy for teams to think that being loud is helpful, but I’ve learned that being clear, calm and direct works best for us,” Pomar said. “As a libero, I see the whole court, so it’s on me to keep everyone connected and grounded.
“Growing up in Puerto Rico, we are intense; some would even say a little crazy. And I mean that in the best way. We’re fiery, passionate, and honest and I think that’s exactly how I am on the court. I bring that energy every time I play, and a lot of the time, it helps fire everyone up and build confidence.”
Mallus in particular delivered a standout performance this past weekend.
“I especially want to shout out Nicole Mallus. I don’t know if everyone knows this, but she’s coming back from a really tough back injury,” Pomar highlighted. “She truly defines what it means to work hard, and proves that when you really commit yourself, anything is possible. I’m so excited to see her continue to shine and make an even bigger impact on our team.”
Looking ahead, the Red will continue with Ivy League play, facing off against Brown University and Yale University in Newman Arena on Oct. 10 and 11, respectively. Coverage will be available on ESPN+.
Meriem Farah is a Sun Contributor and can be reached at mf862@cornell.edu.
