Columbia
Cornell
Cornell Upsets Lions In Five-Set Battle
10/24/2015 6:53:00 PM | Volleyball
NEW YORK - The Columbia volleyball team (5-12, 3-5 Ivy) was unable to secure the season sweep over Cornell on Saturday afternoon as the Big Red (5-13, 1-7 Ivy) picked up its first conference win of the season with a 3-2 victory over the Lions.
With the opening set tied at 9-9, the Lions were able to take advantage of three-consecutive attacking errors by the Big Red, giving Columbia a 13-9 lead. From that point on it was all Columbia as the Lions rounded out the set behind the serve of Alex Reale to take a 25-18 set-one victory.
Unfortunately, it was Cornell who would get the momentum going in the second set as it pulled away from an 8-8 tie, never letting go of the lead before claiming a 25-18 victory to tie things up at 1-1.
Coming out of the break, the Big Red was able to keep its momentum going as it took the third set, 25-18, to grab a 2-1 advantage.
The Lions wouldn't rest, however, as they battled back in the fourth set. With the set tied, 17-17, it looked like Cornell would pull away as it took the next three out of four points, but the Lions responded with a 3-1 run to tie things up at 21-21. That momentum was just what Columbia needed as the Lions sealed the set, 25-23, with the help of a big kill by Anja Malesevic to send the match into a deciding fifth set.
All the intensity from the first four sets carried into the final set as both teams battled back and forth to a 12-12 tie but unfortunately the Big Red was able to pull away with the final three points to take a 15-12 victory and earn its first conference win in a five-set thriller.
Three different Lions finished the match with double-digit kills while Alex Reale was able to pick up her fthird double-double of the season with 51 assists and 18 digs on the night. Columbia ended the day with a combined 12 team blocks as Katarina Jovicic led the way with eight.
The Lions will return to action next week as it rounds out the five-game home stand with games against Brown (Oct. 30) and Yale (Oct. 31) next weekend.
