MOUNT VERNON – Cornell clicked offensively with a season-best .429 attack percentage and powered past in-state rival Grinnell by scores of 25-18, 25-14 and 25-15 in a volleyball matchup of Midwest Conference contenders Saturday at the Small Athletic and Wellness Center.
The Rams (10-8 overall, 5-0 MWC) won for the eighth time in their last nine attempts and kept pace with Lawrence as the lone unbeatens in conference play.
Cornell nearly doubled Grinnell (8-10 overall, 4-2 MWC) in total kills, 47-29, led by a match-high 13 from sophomore
Ashlin Nottestad who also accounted for four ace serves.
The Rams received nine kills apiece from
Hannah Cantwell,
Selia Stein and
Ally Olmstead. Stein and Olmstead both hit .750 on 12 errorless attacks.
Setters
Nia Howard and
Grace Tverberg combined for 41 assists. Cantwell added 11 digs, three blocks and two aces. Stein and Olmstead also had three blocks apiece.
Cornell tallied nine aces on the day, three from
Kensie Staats.
The Rams never trailed during the first two sets. They fell behind 4-1 in the third set, before finishing off the Pioneers with a 19-8 run.
Coming up – The Rams travel to play Beloit (5-10 overall, 1-4 MWC) at 7 p.m. Friday in Beloit, Wis.
