AURORA, Ill. – Cornell's No. 23 nationally-ranked volleyball team got battle-tested on opening weekend, beating a fellow Top 25 squad and finishing 2-1 at the Jim Coleman Memorial Classic in Thornton Gymnasium.
Friday's curtain-raiser was a five-set classic in which the Rams prevailed 20-25, 26-24, 25-22, 18-25, 15-11 over 21st-ranked UW-Stevens Point.
On Saturday, Cornell fell short in five sets against Aurora (24-26, 25-23, 19-25, 25-20, 15-8) and then concluded play with a 25-13, 25-15, 25-15 sweep of Elmhurst.
Fifth-year outside hitter
Ilah Perez-Johnson and junior middle blocker
Carly Puffer represented the Rams on the All-Tournament Team. Perez-Johnson racked up a team-high 39 kills and averaged 2.7 digs per set. Puffer accounted for 21 kills and 1.38 blocks per set.
Cornell's hotly-contested matches with UW-Stevens Point and Aurora witnessed 66 ties combined. The Rams rallied from a 9-7 deficit in the fifth set to take down the Pointers. First-year
Mia Tubbs delivered Cornell's final two points with a kill and then a double block with Puffer.
The 6-foot-3 Tubbs turned in an impressive collegiate debut with 13 kills on .480 hitting in Friday's nationally-ranked showdown. Perez-Johnson notched a double-double with 15 kills and 14 digs.
Nia Howard had 26 assists and five aces.
Kiana Manson pounded 11 kills and Puffer collected seven blocks.
Cornell took a 2-1 sets lead against Aurora before the home team came back to win in five. The Rams were plagued by 14 service errors.
Perez-Johnson accounted for 15 kills and 11 digs against Aurora. Puffer was tough in the middle with eight kills and six blocks. Howard and
Clare Green combined for 49 assists.
Ella McLaughlin added nine kills, followed by newcomer
Ally Olmstead with eight.
The Rams rolled past Elmhurst behind .346 hitting as a team. Puffer had another big match with five blocks and eight kills. Perez-Johnson led Cornell with nine kills and 11 digs. McLaughlin pitched in eight kills.
Cornell fired eight aces against Elmhurst, three by Green.
Southwestern (Texas) was crowned team champion with a 3-0 record.
Coming up – The Rams (2-1) travel to play Dubuque at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in Dubuque.
