Big Red Tops Crimson in Five Sets

Despite a record-breaking performance from co-captain Christine Wu, the Harvard women’s volleyball team (11-11, 4-8 Ivy) was unable to break its weekend losing streak, dropping a 3-2 decision to Cornell (6-18, 3-9 Ivy) on Saturday. The Crimson was coming off a 3-0 loss to Columbia on Friday­­­—a game in which Wu moved to second-place in Ivy League history for career digs, amassing 1,780 in her four years in a Harvard uniform. The Big Red took the Crimson down in five sets on its Senior Night, winning 21-25, 25-17, 25-22, 23-25, and 15-13.

Harvard took control of the game in the first set, tallying a 25-21 win to open the match. Cornell and the Crimson traded the lead in the game until a combination from co-captain Sandra Lynne Fryhofer and freshman Katherine Ingersoll combined to give Harvard a 19-16 edge. The Big Red tried to fight back, but Harvard did not relinquish the lead on its way to an opening-set victory.

The next two games, however, were all Cornell, with the Big Red taking the second frame handily, largely in part to an early 7-3 lead. The third frame was more competitive—with six lead changes and 13 ties—but ultimately the Crimson could not overcome Cornell’s offensive momentum, falling 25-22. The fourth set—a must-win for Harvard—was much of the same, with six lead changes and 14 ties, but the Crimson came out on the winning side, forcing a decisive fifth set.

Despite the Big Red jumping out to a 7-2 lead, Harvard forced its way back into contention, taking a 10-9 advantage. However, Cornell went on a 4-0 run to reclaim the lead at 13-10. Harvard fought back within one, but two kills from Big Red seniors sealed the match.

With the loss, the Crimson drops to 4-8 in the Ancient Eight as it finishes up its season with a pair of home matches next weekend.

—Staff writer B. Marjorie Gullick can be reached at gullick@college.harvard.edu.