BRIEF | Penn sweeps Ivy foes in consecutive sets

The Penn volleyball team had a strong and successful weekend, sweeping two Ivy League opponents on consecutive nights.

Friday at the Palestra, the Quakers took down Cornell (4-11, 1-4 Ivy) for the eighth consecutive time, battling out three tough sets to capture a straight-set conference win, 25-21, 27-25, 25-23.

Emma White led Penn (8-8, 3-2) with a double-double on 12 kills and 12 digs.

Cornell committed 11 errors in the first set yet managed to keep things close. With the set tied at 19, freshman Alex Caldwell and senior Amanda Pacheco won the next two points for Penn, which rode the momentum to take the first set.

After Cornell took a 6-1 lead to begin the second set, the Quakers went on a 20-8 run to open up a sizeable lead. The Big Red kept the set close yet again, but junior Kristen Etterbeek had consecutive kills to break a 25-25 tie and afford Penn a two-set lead over the visitors.

The Quakers trailed early in the third set but managed to rally again and close out the match.

Looking to even their season record at 8-8, the Red and Blue came out firing against Columbia (7-7, 2-3) on Saturday. Thanks to the serves of Etterbeek, Penn raced out to an 11-2 lead in the first set and eventually closed it out, 25-18.

The second set was closer, but back-to-back kills from Etterbeek and Pacheco helped Penn take the second set, 25-21.

Penn’s defense led the team the rest of the way as the Quakers capped off the sweep with a 25-22 third-set victory.

Now 3-2 in the Ivy League, Penn resumes play next weekend with two matches on the road. The Quakers play at Brown on Friday night and visit Yale on Saturday.

SEE ALSO

Penn volleyball’s Dani Shepherd a leader on the team and in the country

Penn volleyball starts strong, splits Ivy road trip

Dynamic defense to lead squad on Ivy trip north

Volleyball falls twice in five sets to Towson, Princeton

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