HAVERFORD, Pa. - The Haverford College volleyball team continued its strong start to the 2026 season on Saturday, picking up a pair of straight-set victories over Cairn and Lebanon Valley as part of the Haverford Tri-Match at Gooding '84 Arena.
Haverford improved to 5-1 with the two victories, defeating Cairn by scores of 25-22, 25-23 and 25-16 before dispatching Lebanon Valley, 25-21, 25-16 and 25-14.
Reigning Centennial Conference Offensive Player of the Week Elizabeth Cella led the Fords with 34 kills across six sets while committing just five attack errors on 60 swings for a .483 hitting percentage.Â
Cella also contributed 13 digs, three block assists and a service ace on the afternoon. She hit .455 with 18 kills against Cairn before putting down 16 kills against just two errors for a .519 clip against Lebanon Valley.
The Fords also received a strong setting performance from the combination of Anna Krotky Koeppe and Dasha Igonin. Krotky Koeppe distributed 36 assists across the two matches, including 23 against Cairn, while Igonin totaled 30 assists, giving the duo 66 of Haverford's 85 assists on the day. Krotky Koeppe also provided seven kills without an error on 11 attempts.
First-year Marlee Hills added 19 kills across the two victories, while Fiona Moord finished with 14 kills and continued to provide a steady presence at the net. As a team, Haverford put down 91 kills across six sets and hit .307 for the afternoon.
Haverford 3, Cairn 0
Haverford opened the day with a competitive 25-22, 25-23, 25-16 sweep of Cairn, using Cella's 18 kills and a balanced setting effort to navigate a pair of tight opening sets before taking command in the third.
The Highlanders provided an early test in the opening frame, building a 21-17 advantage before Haverford responded. The Fords steadily erased the deficit and found their offense when it mattered most, rallying to claim the opening set, 25-22.
Cairn again made Haverford work in the second, holding a 21-20 edge late in the frame. Cella then delivered consecutive kills off sets from Krotky Koeppe to put the Fords in front, 22-21, before a Moord service ace extended the run. After Cairn pulled within 24-23, Haverford closed out the 25-23 victory on an emphatic block from Gia Frank and Lolly Adair.
With the two-set advantage secured, Haverford found another gear offensively in the third. The Fords turned a 5-5 deadlock into a 10-6 advantage behind a stretch that featured kills from Hills, Moord, Krotky Koeppe and Cella. Cella remained the focal point as Haverford expanded its cushion, and the Fords ultimately closed out the sweep with a convincing 25-16 third set.
Cella's 18 kills came on just 33 attacks as she hit .455 for the match. Hills contributed eight kills, while Moord finished with six kills and four block assists. Frank added five kills at a .308 clip.
Krotky Koeppe directed the attack with 23 assists to go along with eight digs and three kills on five swings, while Igonin added 12 assists. Haverford finished with 44 kills and hit .257 while holding Cairn to a .051 attacking percentage.
Haverford 3, Lebanon Valley 0
Haverford was even sharper in the afternoon finale, producing a tidy and efficient offensive performance in a 25-21, 25-16, 25-14 sweep of Lebanon Valley.
The Dutchmen stayed with the Fords throughout much of the opening set, but Haverford's depth at the net eventually began to separate the sides. Cella, Hills and Moord all supplied kills as the Fords worked through a back-and-forth opening frame before taking the set, 25-21.
From there, Haverford seized complete control. The Fords hit .312 with 17 kills in the second set while holding Lebanon Valley to just five kills and a .042 attacking percentage, rolling to a 25-16 victory.
Haverford was even more clinical in the third, putting down 14 kills against only two errors on 29 attempts for a .414 hitting percentage. Lebanon Valley, meanwhile, was held to a .000 clip in the final frame.
Cella again led the charge, registering 16 kills on 27 swings with only two errors to hit .519. Hills joined her in double figures with 11 kills on a .364 percentage, while Moord contributed eight kills and three total blocks. Frank added five kills and two service aces.
Igonin and Krotky Koeppe again kept the Haverford offense operating smoothly from multiple points on the floor. Igonin handed out 18 assists with seven digs, while Krotky Koeppe added 13 assists and four kills on six swings. Heejin Kim anchored the back row against the Dutchmen with a team-high 10 digs.
The Fords finished the match with 47 kills against only 13 errors, hitting .366 as a team while limiting Lebanon Valley to a .112 attacking percentage. Haverford also held a 6-2 advantage in service aces and a 41-31 edge in digs.
Haverford next returns to Gooding '84 Arena on Friday, September 18 welcoming Eastern for a non-conference matchup at 7:30 p.m.
