MOUNT VERNON – Cornell's 2025 volleyball team earned the opportunity to play one more match on its home court. And that one will be the biggest of the season Saturday afternoon.
 
The top-seeded Rams (18-10) took care of business Friday night with a 25-19, 25-10, 25-16 sweep over Illinois College in the semifinals of the Midwest Conference Tournament.
 
No. 2 seed Lawrence (23-10) also impressed in its 25-12, 25-18, 28-26 semifinal win over Monmouth earlier in the night.
 
That sets the stage for Saturday's MWC championship match at 1 p.m. inside the Small Athletic and Wellness Center. The Cornell-Lawrence winner earns the league's automatic berth to the NCAA Division III Tournament.
 
The Rams seek their 11th MWC Tournament crown since 2012, while up-and-comer Lawrence makes its first-ever appearance in the title match. Cornell defeated Lawrence, 3-1, in the MWC opener Oct. 3 in Appleton, Wis.
 
 Cornell's efficient attack and sharp serving proved to be too much for Illinois College (10-21), which put up a fight in Set 1 and 3 before the Rams pulled away late in both.
 
First-year Ashlin Nottestad had a fantastic postseason debut, slamming a match-high 10 kills on .375 hitting. Ally Olmstead posted a glossy .467 attack percentage with eight kills and a team-best four blocks, including two solo stuffs.
 
First-year Hannah Cantwell enjoyed a stellar all-around performance with eight kills, seven digs and six ace serves. The Rams delivered 12 aces on the night, while allowing only three.
 
Ella Becker led the back row with 15 digs, followed by Sully Downey with 11. Downey also fired three aces. Grace Tverberg and Nia Howard combined for 27 assists, helping Cornell hit .266 for the match.  
 
The Rams overcame a 15-14 deficit in the opening set. They sprinted to the finish on a 14-4 run in Set 3 to end the night.
 
Elite 20 Award
Prior to Friday's semifinal, Cornell's Becker was honored as the MWC Elite 20 Award recipient, claiming the academic accolade for the second year in a row.
 
This is the sixth time Cornell has earned the MWC Elite 20 in volleyball. Becker joins past recipients Allison Eikenberry (2019) and Jillian Schulte (2016-18).
 
The award recognizes the student-athlete with the highest grade point average among participants in the sport's culminating championship or tournament event.
 
Becker, a three-time all-MWC libero, is pursuing a double major in psychological sciences and kinesiology-exercise science. She's the 15th Ram to receive the MWC Elite 20 Award since its inception in 2015-16.