MOUNT VERNON – The Rams gave up one set to Grinnell Wednesday night. But they were not about to relinquish hosting rights for next weekend's Midwest Conference Volleyball Tournament.
 
In a battle for league supremacy, Cornell rallied in the final two sets and clinched its 10th consecutive MWC regular-season championship with a 25-18, 23-25, 25-21, 25-23 victory over the in-state rival Pioneers inside the Small Athletic and Wellness Center.  
 
The Rams (18-7 overall) now stand alone atop the MWC standings at 7-0, while Grinnell (17-9 overall) slipped into second place at 6-1. Cornell can complete an undefeated MWC season in Friday's 7 p.m. finale against Lawrence in Appleton, Wis.
 
Cornell secured the No. 1 seed in the four-team MWC Tournament, which will be contested Nov. 4-5 in Mount Vernon.   
 
The Pioneers became the first MWC team to win a set against Cornell this season. And it appeared Grinnell would take another, leading 22-18 in Set 4.
 
The Rams charged back with a 6-0 flurry, highlighted by a five-point service run from Ella Becker and a pair of kills by Ilah Perez-Johnson that put the home team ahead 24-22. Grinnell denied Cornell the first match point, cutting the margin to 24-23.
 
With the crowd on its feet, the Rams claimed championship point off a quick middle attack from Grace Marti. Marti's match-high 14th kill shot off a Grinnell player and wound up in the stands to end the night.
 
Marti hit a glossy .458 for the match and helped the Rams accumulate a season-best 17 blocks. Marti and Rory Light shared team-high honors with seven blocks apiece. Carly Puffer added six blocks.
 
Clare Green set 46 assists for a balanced attack that saw Light convert 13 kills and Perez-Johnson 12. Ella McLaughlin and Puffer each chipped in six kills.
 
Becker led the Rams with 25 digs, followed by Perez-Johnson with 22 and Green with 21.
 
A turning point in the match came in Set 3 with the Pioneers leading 12-9. The Rams countered with a 7-0 spurt that started with a Light kill and continued with six straight service points by Green.
 
The Rams hit .170 for the night, the Pioneers .097.