Senior middle blocker Ava Bogan’s thunderous kill in the third set brought the crowd into a frenzy. Players jumped, kids screamed and fans applauded relentlessly.
Like a movie scene, two Cornell students in the crowd turned to each other and, in the midst of the chaos, simply uttered, “We’re going to be okay.” In spite of a shaky start, the Red had turned the game on its head.
This past weekend, volleyball hosted the Cornell Invitational, where it played the Howard Bisons, University at Albany Great Danes and Syracuse Orange.
The Red’s starting offense looks very different from years past and that was evident during the first set against the Bisons.
Inefficient offensive sets and substandard defense resulted in long rallies and open gaps in the back row early on.
However, the game was still well within reach, as the score was tied 22-22. This was in part due to the Red’s adjustments on defense, as Bogan took matters into her own hands. An incredible solo block, followed by a well-timed spike gave Cornell a two-point lead which it would not relinquish. The Red would go on to take the first set 25-23.
The second set featured a completely different Cornell squad. Despite a tit-for-tat affair that saw the Red holding just an 8-7 lead, junior outside/middle blocker Mackenzie Parsons and freshman outside hitter Ellery Williamson gave the Red the spark it needed.
Williamson made her collegiate debut against Howard, but the moment was never too big for her.
“It was really cool to stand on the sideline and watch our video for the first time,” Williams said. “It was definitely awesome, and something I’ll remember over the next couple of years.”
A 6-0 run featured two kills each by the pair and effectively blew the set open. The Red would go on to win 25-13, relying on major contributions from the senior trio of Bogan, outside hitter Jaida Sione and libero Sara Pomar.
In the final set of the night, Cornell again dominated, this time with five blocks. Another 6-0 run in the middle of the bout gave the Red a commanding 20-13 lead, from which it never looked back. Utilizing a 3-1 run, Sione garnered two kills along with a duet block with junior middle blocker Avarie Adams. The Red went on to take the set 25-18, sweeping the Bisons.
The following morning, the Red was defeated 2-3 by the Great Danes in a back-and-forth thriller.
In the opening set, Cornell got off to a quick start, capitalizing on the Great Danes’ mistakes to take an early 5-2 lead. From this point, both squads went blow-for-blow until the set was tied at 23 apiece.
Sensing the moment, Sione took action and delivered back-to-back kills to the heart of UAlbany’s defense, giving Cornell a 25-23 victory.
The Red huddles together during its match against the Great Danes.
The second set saw Cornell lose a heartbreaker, primarily due to 5-0 and 6-0 runs at pivotal points during the matchup. Holding an 11-10 lead, the Red allowed the Great Danes to find open spots three times while also conceding two service aces.
Despite strong kills from Sione and Parsons to regain the competitive edge, the aforementioned 6-0 run put the set out of reach. The Red would go on to drop the set 21-25.
The third and fourth sets read eerily similar, with Cornell again stealing the third bout 25-23 after major contributions from Williamson. The squad went on to drop the fourth bout after surrendering a 7-1 run with the set tied at 19.
In the final set of the morning, Cornell demonstrated a newfound poise, refusing to let the Great Danes build a lead greater than three points. Facing a 14-13 deficit, the team dug deep, with Bogan getting a solo block to extend the matchup. With the set tied at 16, the growing pains flashed once again for the Red.
UAlbany’s Lily Lott got a crucial kill, and the subsequent volley saw an attack error by Parsons which ultimately gave the Great Danes the victory over Cornell in the thrilling match.
“I think you always learn more when you lose so it’s definitely good for us to get those kinks out before Ivy [League] play,” Williamson said.
In the final game of the invitational, Cornell again narrowly lost in an instant classic, falling to the Orange 2-3.
During the first set, the atmosphere of the gym felt flat.
Syracuse’s day off paid dividends early on as its squad was constantly one step ahead of Cornell. A valiant effort saw the Red come back to tie the set at 22 apiece, but back-to-back kills from the Orange, coupled with a block on Williamson, saw Syracuse steal the opening set 25-22.
The second and third sets saw both groups each take two-point victories on the backs of strong play from its respective middle blockers. Facing a 1-2 match deficit, Cornell gave out firing on offense and ran away with the fourth set 25-16 to set a must-see finish to the tournament.
In the fifth and final set, the Orange held a shaky 13-10 lead, and it felt as though the Red would tap into last season’s late-game heroics.
Unfortunately, this hope was short-lived as Syracuse’s Bo Nijenhuis drove an unabated kill right into Cornell’s heart, spoiling any hope of making a miraculous comeback. Two subsequent errors on both sides of the ball saw the Red drop its second straight game to end the invitational.
“Taking Syracuse to five [sets] shows what we have, even though we’re so raw early into the season,” Williamson said. “We definitely have grit, we have energy [and] you can see it on the court. A lot of big personalities who all just really want to win.”
Bogan received All-Tournament honors for her standout performance on both the offensive and defensive fronts. Not only did she record 36 total kills and 21 total blocks over the course of the weekend, but her energy proved to be a spark plug whenever her squad fell behind.
“Ava had a really big weekend,” Williamson said. “She always brings the energy for us, which is great, especially when you’re new [to the team]. She’s always there and supportive both on and off the court.”
Looking ahead, Cornell returns to action on the road for the Bearcat Classic from Friday through Saturday. The Red will face off against the Binghamton Bearcats, Temple Owls and University of New Haven Chargers.
With three games under its belt, the squad will look to continue figuring out its offensive identity while relying on its defensive tenacity.
Coverage of the tournament will be available on AmericaEast.TV.
