PHILADELPHIA – Led by senior Chichi Ikwuazom's career-high 29 kills and junior Audrey Cheng's second double-double of the season, Columbia Volleyball (3-1) opened up its weekend at the Hilton Philadelphia at Penn's Landing Cherry & White Challenge by taking down Lehigh (5-4), 3-1, at McGonigle Hall on the campus of Temple.
 
Ikwuazom's 29 kills also places her fourth all-time in Columbia history in total kills in a single match, while Cheng recorded a match-high 41 assists and she added 12 digs to record the double-double.  First-year Kiara Robichaud added 12 kills, a career-high of her own, while senior Kalie Wood added a match-high 15 digs to help the Lions control the action from start to finish.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED (vs. LEHIGH): The Lions came out and took control of the action from the start, and during the first set Ikwuazom snapped off five kills to get her career night off and running.  In fact, Ikwuazom got the first point of the match on a kill and assist from Cheng as the Lions came out of the gate on fire taking a 10-6 lead midway through the first set.
 
Lehigh would crawl back following a timeout and get within 18-17 late in the set, but four straight serves held by Cheng, along with first-year Chloe Rutledge holding the final two points and when first-year Saj McBurrows launched the final kill the Lions had taken the first set 25-18.  Much like the first set, Columbia came out in the second set and controlled the action, quickly jumping to a 10-5 lead.
 
The Lions, learning from the first set, did not let the Mountain Hawks gain any traction in the set as Ikwuazom recorded 11 of her 29 kills during the set, helping power the Lions to a 25-18 second set win and a 2-0 lead in the match.  Columbia lost a bit of its momentum in the third set, as Lehigh snagged control midway through the set with the score sitting at 9-8 in the Hawks favor.  Lehigh would go on to score seven of nine points down the stretch to pull ahead and take the set 25-18.
 
Columbia, not looking to let Lehigh back into the match, was again led by Ikwuazom, who added nine kills in the fourth set to make sure the Lions came away with the win.  It was close through the first 16 points, but Columbia was sitting in the lead as the Mountain Hawks took a time out at 9-6 in Columbia's favor.
 
It was after that timeout that the Lions dug in and scored nine out of 13 points to pull ahead 18-10.  First-year Vanessa Pan took serve with Columbia up 22-15 and the Lions would score the final four points to come away with the 3-1 win, with the final point coming on a block from Ikwuazom and Robichaud.
 
GAME NOTES: Columbia hit a season-high .302 ... Ikwuazom added a career-high .628 hitting percentage on 43 total attacks.

UP NEXT: The Lions remain in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with a Saturday, Sept. 14, doubleheader starting at 11 a.m. with hosting Temple, followed by a 4 p.m. matchup against Radford.
 
FOLLOWING THE LIONS: Stay up to date on all things Columbia Volleyball by following the Lions on Twitter (@CUVB), Instagram (@columbiawvb) and on Facebook (@ColumbiaAthletics).