With just a few weeks left in Ivy League play, the Red faced one of its toughest road weekends yet. Traveling to Hanover, New Hampshire, and then to Cambridge, Massachusetts, the Red showed determination, depth, and grit across two intense matches that tested both endurance and teamwork.
Under the bright lights of Leede Arena on Halloween night, the Red (12-7, 7-2 Ivy) went head-to-head with the Big Green (6-13, 3-6 Ivy) in a thrilling five-set game that kept fans on edge from start to finish.
Dartmouth started strong, taking the first two sets as the Red worked to find its rhythm on offense. But Cornell refused to fold. Behind powerful hitting from senior outside hitter/right side Eliza Konvicka (15 kills, 3 aces), junior outside hitter Jaida Sione (11 kills), and sophomore middle blocker Mackenzie Parsons (11 kills), the Red stormed back to win the next two sets, 25–20 and 25–14, forcing a decisive fifth.
The closing set tested both teams’ composure and endurance. Both teams traded points deep into extra play before Dartmouth narrowly escaped with the win, 19–17.
Despite the loss, Cornell displayed impressive composure and teamwork. Senior setter Doga Ozalp and freshman setter Mikayla Gray combined for 43 assists, while junior libero Sara Pomar anchored the defense with 26 digs. Freshman defensive specialist/libero CJ Holdsworth also made a major impact from the service line, notching a team-high six aces.
Less than 24 hours later, Cornell was back on the court at Harvard’s Malkin Athletic Center on Nov. 1, ready to reset and respond. And respond they did.
The Red (13-7, 8-2 Ivy) delivered a clean and confident performance, sweeping the Crimson (5-13, 4-6 Ivy) in straight sets (0 -3) behind sharp execution and balanced offense. Senior outside hitter/right side Nicole Mallus and Konvicka led the way with 10 kills apiece, while senior outside hitter/right side Meghan Gaffigan added seven.
Gray continued her standout weekend with 19 assists and three aces, and Ozalp contributed 13 assists and three aces of her own. Defensively, Pomar led the team with nine digs, supported by Konvicka (5) and Ozalp (4).
Cornell controlled nearly every statistical category, tallying 42 kills to Harvard’s 32 and eight aces to three. Strong blocking from Parsons and junior middle blocker/right side Ava Bogan helped close out each set with authority.
After a demanding back-to-back weekend, the Red returned home with lessons learned, renewed energy, and a clear message to the Ivy League. Cornell remains one of the most competitive and composed teams in the conference.
Cornell now turns its attention to its final home weekend of the regular season. The Red will host the University of Pennsylvania at 7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 7 in Newman Arena, followed by a special Senior Night matchup against Princeton University at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 8 also in Newman Arena.
Both games will be streamed live on ESPN+, as the Red look to finish Ivy League play strong and celebrate its seniors in front of a home crowd.
