Volleyball beat Columbia in three sets Saturday in a performance that was dominant from start to finish.
It seemed like everything was clicking for the Red (11-6, 5-3 Ivy). The block executed its job to perfection, holding Columbia (3-14, 0-8 Ivy) to a measly .171 hitting percentage. Junior setter Doga Ozalp was spraying the ball all around the court, allowing four players to eclipse seven kills on a season-high hitting percentage of .400.
Perhaps most importantly, though, the Red kept its composure and never allowed the Lions to sneak back into a game that was under control from the opening serve.
In the first set, there was not a single lead change. Whenever Columbia tried to string together a few points, the Red responded with timely plays to shut down the momentum. Junior outside hitter Eliza Konvicka and sophomore outside hitter Jaida Sione worked in tandem to deliver powerful kills and keep the pressure on the Lions.
While Columbia held the lead for a couple points in the second set, the Red quickly regained control. Down the stretch it was again Sione who lifted the Red offensively, though this time with a little help from senior middle blocker Camryn Carlo.
By the third set, the Lions looked defeated, and would go on to lose the set 25-11. It was hard to believe that this was the same gritty team that took Cornell to five sets on homecoming weekend on Sep. 28.
After the past weekend of play, the Red hold sole possession of third place in an Ivy League that has been filled with uncertainties all year. With second-place Princeton and tied-for-fourth-place Harvard and Penn on the schedule over the next two weeks, though, one thing is for sure –– nothing will come easy for the Red.
Next weekend, the Red will defend home court against Harvard (9-8, 4-4 Ivy) at 7 p.m. on Friday and Dartmouth (9-9, 2-6 Ivy) at 6 p.m. on Saturday. Both games can be streamed live on ESPN+.
Dylan Graff is a Sun Contributor and can be reached at [email protected].