MOUNT VERNON – Cornell's volleyball team rolled through opening weekend in the Midwest Conference with its second sweep in as many days with Saturday's 25-20, 25-14, 25-16 victory over Monmouth in the Small Sport Center.
 
Everything was going Cornell's way by the end of the 1-hour, 3-minute contest, which saw the Rams boost their record to 9-5 overall, 2-0 in the MWC.
 
In one sequence in the third set, Cornell middle blocker Rory Light kept the ball alive with a soccer-style right-footed kick over the net. And when Monmouth (7-9 overall, 0-2 MWC) returned it back, Light stuffed it to the floor for one of her seven blocks in the match.
 
Light and Alissa McEndaffer shared team-high honors with nine kills apiece for a balanced Cornell attack that outhit the visiting Scots .230 to .076. Ilah Perez-Johnson slammed seven kills and fired four of the team's seven ace serves. Olivia Richards and Tendall Weigand added five kills apiece.
 
Senior Sydney Meeker had a fine match in the back row, racking up 24 digs. Lindsey Frazier went 15-of-15 from the service line with two aces. Setter Clare Green totaled 29 assists and four block assists.
 
The Scots had a chance to get back in the match, leading 7-2 in the second set. Cornell answered with a 15-5 spurt. The Rams carried momentum into Set 3 in building a 13-3 lead, thanks to a five-point service run by Perez-Johnson.
 
Senior Sarah Carvo provided the match-clinching point with her first kill of the season.
 
Cornell steps outside the conference Wednesday for a 7 p.m. match against Loras in Dubuque.