Yale Makes it Two In A Row to Start Ivy Season

Yale's freshmen continue to be major contributors this season.

Last week Yale rookie Mollie Rogers had a match-high 12 kills in a win over Brown. Tonight it was Maddie Rudnick's turn to showcase her skills.

Rudnick posted a match-high 30 digs to lead Yale to a sweep of Cornell on Friday night at the John J. Lee Amphitheater.   The scores were 25-18, 25-15 and 25-22.

Allie Frappier, another freshman, pounded a match-best 12 kills, while Rogers added 10 kills and eight digs to help lead the Bulldogs to a 2-0 start in Ivy Play.

Kendall Polan, the Ivy League leader in assists per set, had 37 assists.  Polan added six kills with a .462 hitting percentage with 14 digs.

After a first-set win, Rudnick stole the show.  She produced 14 digs in the second set. 

"Maddie Rudnick was great tonight," Yale head coach Erin Appleman said.  "Cornell is a good hitting and blocking team, and Rudnick was the difference on defense."

On offense, senior captain Taylor Cramm started a 9-1 run to open the second for Yale.  Frappier had four kills during the spurt, while Rogers had two and a service ace en route to a set win.

The third set would be closer.

Rogers and Frappier notched consecutive kills to give Yale a 17-12 lead and force a Cornell timeout. 

Sierra Young's kill would cut the deficit to 19-16 before Frappier would deliver another kill.  The Bulldogs would push the lead to 23-17.

Cornell (2-11, 0-2 Ivy) wouldn't go away. 

Madeleine Przybyl began a quick-hitting 5-0 run.  Rogers thwarted the rally and ended the match with back-to-back kills.

The Bulldogs, now 8-4 overall, host Columbia tomorrow at 5 p.m.  Columbia defeated Brown, 3-1, in Providence tonight. 

Report filed by Ernie Bertothy, Yale Sports Publicity