Where's the fluke?
Harvard was digging up everything but the stripes on the court. The Crimson was saving balls that looked like they were going to fall.
"We were blocking, digging and hitting very well," Carolyn Burger said. "It was a good all-around team effort. It was a good start for the Ivy season."
The Crimson opened the third set with a 5-1 lead, but the Big Red rallied to take a 9-7 advantage. Cornell held off a late Harvard charge to win the set, 15-12.
In the fourth set, Cornell jumped out to a 10-1 lead, but Harvard showed character by getting back into the match with team defense and a blistering offense. The Crimson fought back to to close the defecit to 10-8.
Cornell won five of the next seven points to win the set.
The most important part of the set was Harvard's ability to comeback from a nine-point deficit. It sent a mesage loud and clear to the Cornell bench.
In the fifth set, Harvard dominated the set with timely hitting and a tenacious defense. The Crimson pulled out to an 8-3 lead, but Cornell bounced back to close Harvard's lead to 11-7.
Yet the Crimson would not be denied, capturing four straight points to win the set and match.
No more flukes allowed.