NEW YORK -- The Columbia volleyball team opened Ivy League play on Saturday evening against Cornell at Levien Gymnasium. The Big Red emerged victorious in the hard-fought match (25-19, 21-25, 25-21, 25-20), defeating the Lions in four sets. 

Both Logan Harlock and Juliana Williamson made their 2023 debuts in the match, and did not disappoint. Harlock led Columbia with 10 kills, and added six digs, a block and an ace. In her return from injury, Williamson notched six kills and three total blocks. 

Cornell came out of the gates strong and took an early lead in the first set. The Lions answered with a 6-1 run, capped by a kill from Eva Atkins, to cut the deficit to 13-12, but that would be as close as Columbia would get in the set. With the score 19-17, the Big Red would score five of the next six points to all but lock up the set. 

The Lions would not go down without a fight, and came out swinging in set two. Cornell and Columbia quite literally traded points early on, as the score was tied 15 different times up until the score was all knotted up at 17-17. From there, Harlock and Anna Gioranidi smacked back-to-back kills to put the Lions in front by two points. The Big Red fought back, but another kill from Harlock and a combined block from Williamson and Atkins helped Columbia fend off the run. A kill from Williamson would secure a 25-21 for the Lions to even up the match at one set apiece.

The final two sets were tightly contested, and each had multiple lead changes, but the Big Red would find a way both times to fight off Columbia and secure the victory. A kill from Nicole Mallus late in the fourth set gave her a new career-high of 17, and put the finishing touches on the match for Cornell.

Atkins chipped in 10 kills for the Lions, while Gioranidi added eight kills. Ruby van der Heide added 20 assists, while Cadence Gronski collected 16 assists. Soah Franklin tallied five kills, five digs, and four total blocks. 

The Lions continue their Ivy League homestand next weekend when they host Harvard on Friday at 7:00 p.m. and Dartmouth on Saturday at 5:00 p.m.

For the latest on Columbia volleyball, follow @CULionsVB on Twitter and Instagram, and on the web at GoColumbiaLions.com.