Lions Lose At Penn In Straight Sets

Saturday, November 13

Philadelphia, Pa.

5:00 p.m.

Columbia University

5-19,2-12Ivy League

Penn

8-15,5-9Ivy League

Columbia

Penn

Photo by: Columbia University Athletics/Mike McLaughlin

11/13/2021 8:33:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Columbia Volleyball wrapped up the 2021 season with a tough straight set loss at Penn.

PHILADELPHIA — In the final match of the 2021 season, Columbia Volleyball (5-19, 2-12 IVY) battled hard from start-to-finish, but the Penn Quakers (8-15, 5-9 IVY) were able to hold the advantage throughout and won in straight sets in a Saturday night matchup at The Palestra.

Playing the final matches of their collegiate careers, Columbia's three seniors produced solid numbers, with Shari Stenglein leading the way with her seventh double-double of the season, finishing with 33 assists and 16 digs. Emily Teehan played high above the net in all three sets and crushed a team-high 15 kills on .290 hitting, adding nine digs along the way and Isa Lamus finished her career with three blocks and six kills.

What kept Columbia in the match was their strong serving, finishing with a season-high nine service aces with Yooni Park and Vanessa Pan each smashing three aces. But Columbia's offense was hurt but 22 attack errors to Penn's 15 and it allowed Penn to create the little space they needed to come away with the victory.

HOW IT HAPPENED: If anything, the first set was a hint of how things would go over the next three, with both sides trading blows throughout. Teehan led the Lions with five kills in the set, and the Lions were strong at the net, out-blocking Penn three-to-one. And midway through the set the Lions had the lead at 16-10.

But the errors would catch up to the Lions, collecting five attacking errors between 16-10 and 19-19 score lines. And it was back-to-back Lion attack errors that allowed Penn to knot the set up at 19-19. But Columbia collected themselves and three times down the stretch would fight off set point, but another Columbia attack error, followed by a Penn kill finished the Quaker comeback to give them a 28-26 first set win.

14 tied scores and six lead changes defined the second set, and after 10-10, five times the score was knotted up. Down the stretch, Teehan smashed home a kill to make it 21-20 and Lamus crushed a pair late, with her second kill getting Columbia within one point at 23-22. But a service error from the Lions, followed by a Penn service ace gave the Quakers the two final points they needed to wrap up the second set, 25-22, and take a 2-0 lead in the match.

Not wanting her career to end quietly, Teehan had her best offensive set in the third, crushing six kills on .400 percentage, and her efforts kept the Lions battling through the set. Again, the lead would change hand four times, and after falling behind midway through the set, Stenglein's service of four Columbia points, including an ace, got Columbia tied up with Penn at 13-13.

The back-and-forth affair would continue over the remainder of the set, but a big decision would go against Columbia and effectly end the match. With the score tied at 23-23, a Penn attack error was challenged by the Quaker coach and following the reversal Penn was placed on match point. A Columbia attack error gave Penn its final point and with the 25-23 third set win, they wrapped up the match at 3-0.

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