Women's Volleyball Falls Just Short Against Cornell, 3-2

Friday, October 17

Princeton, N.J.

7:00 PM

Princeton University

9-5,4-2Ivy League

Cornell

11-5,6-0Ivy League

Cornell

Princeton

Women's Volleyball Falls Just Short Against Cornell, 3-2

October 17, 2025 | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

PRINCETON, N.J. – The Princeton University women's volleyball came back from two sets down to force a fifth set against Cornell Friday night inside Dillon Gymnasium, but fell just short, 3-2 (25-21, 25-22, 26-28, 24-26, 18-16).

The win moved the Big Red to 6-0 in Ivy League play while the Tigers moved to 4-2.

Valerie Nutakor delivered a career night for Princeton, recording match and career-highs in points (28) and kills (25) while hitting .302. Nutakor also contributed nine digs, two service aces and two blocks. Erin McNair recorded her third double-double of the season with 16 kills and 11 digs, while Lucia Scalamandre added 11 kills and a match-high eight blocks. Sydney Draper handed out a match-high 53 assists and Olivia Foye tallied a match-high 18 digs.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Princeton Women's Volleyball (@princetonwvb)

While the Tigers dropped the first two sets, they showed resilience and bounced back in the third. The Big Red surged out to a 21-15 lead, then earned match point at 24-19. A block by Jackie Onyechi ignited a 6-0 run that saw Princeton save three match points then go on to earn set point at 25-24. With the score tied at 26-26, a service error followed by a double block by Scalamandre and Ava Harrington gave the Tigers the 28-26 triumph in the third set.

The fourth set was a back-and-forth battle and was played to a stalemate at 17-17. A 4-0 Princeton run put the Tigers in front, 21-17, but Cornell soon responded with a 4-0 run of its own to take match point at 24-23. Princeton wrapped the set up in style; after an attacking error by Cornell, Onyechi delivered a solo block then Ella Bunde recorded an ace on set point that saw Princeton earn the win, 26-24, and send the match to a decisive fifth set.

An early 4-0 run by Princeton saw the Tigers jump ahead 6-3 in the fifth set. A 4-0 run by the Big Red would tie it up at 10-10, before a kill by Nutakor gave Princeton match point at 16-15. Three consecutive points by Cornell followed, as the Big Red earned the 18-16 victory in the set along with the 3-2 win in the match.

Up Next
The Tigers host Columbia (2-13, 0-5) inside Dillon Gymnasium tomorrow night at 5 p.m.