JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Harvard women's volleyball (0-3) dropped its final match of the UNF Invitational this morning, falling to Presbyterian (2-4), 3-1 (17-25, 25-19, 16-25, 26-28).
Harvard once again received a strong performance from first-year outside hitter,
Sofia Rossi. The Illinois native bested her career night from just a day ago by contributing 22 kills, 10 digs, and three blocks in four sets.
How it Happened
A dominant start would be the deciding factor in the opening set as Presbyterian rattled off the first 12 points of the match. The Crimson settled in, however, and a 7-1 run began to shrink the deficit. The Blue Hose's early advantage would prove too much for Harvard's comeback efforts as Presbyterian won set one, 25-17.
Looking to leave the lulls of the first set behind, the Crimson powered ahead to an 8-3 lead in the second. Presbyterian settled back in, utilizing a pair of runs to tie the match and then overtake the lead at 14-10. Undeterred, Harvard responded, going on a 10-2 run. The Crimson's dominant stretch shifted all momentum in its favor and allowed Harvard to tie the match with a 25-19 set two win.
The third set was a back-and-forth affair as either team battled to take the advantage in the match. The Blue Hose formed a lead as large as four but Harvard continuously responded, eventually evening the set at 16-all. Using a timeout to regroup, Presbyterian then collected the final nine points of the set to regain the lead in the match.
Presbyterian again pulled out to an early lead but the Crimson's undying fight helped it bounce back and tie the set at 14-all with a 4-0 run. Harvard held several leads deep into the frame including facing two match points. Despite the Crimson's fight, Presbyterian was able to steal the final set 28-26 and ultimately the match.
Harvard Highlights
- Despite the loss, Sofia Rossi was a bright spot for the Crimson, recording 22 kills with a .245 hitting percentage, 10 digs, and three blocks.
- Across the three matches this weekend Rossi accumulated 43 kills for a 3.91 kill per set average. Additionally, the first-year added 15 digs in 11 sets.
- Ali Farquhar and Taylor Larkin each added seven kills to Harvard's team total of 48. Larkin also had a strong day at the net, tallying a team-best seven blocks.
- For the second consecutive match Sophia Wei led the team in assists and digs with 20 and 11, respectively.
- Nicole Cornell provided a strong all-around performance, contributing 16 assists, a team-high three aces, and seven digs.
Next Up
Harvard will return to Cambridge for its home opener next weekend as it hosts its annual Harvard Invitational inside the Malkin Athletic Center. The Crimson will open the tournament against Washington State on Friday, September 12 at 7:00 p.m. ET. Harvard will then wrap up the tournament and its non-conference home slate against Seton Hall on Sunday, September 14 at 2:00 p.m. ET.
