DP Sports Player of the Week sophomore Raven Sulaimon's 29 kills powered Penn women's volleyball to its first two Ivy League wins this weekend.
Credit: Annie LuoBehind every great performance is a strong leader.
Penn women’s volleyball had an explosive weekend that featured two marquee wins against Columbia and Cornell, with sophomore outside hitter Raven Sulaimon leading the path to victory for the Quakers.
Sulaimon combined for 29 kills and four blocks over both games — the first and second wins in Ivy play all season for the Quakers. Her 17 kills against the Big Red tied her career-high set earlier this season against Georgetown.
Sulaimon’s efforts this weekend marked the 10th and 11th times the sophomore had double-digit kills this season, and they came at crucial times. She helped spark the initial charge against Columbia, and her 12 kills and excellent play all game helped Penn to a 3-0 home sweep of the Lions.
Cornell took the opening set of its match, but Sulaimon helped inspire the team to dig deep and force a comeback. Her final kill set up match point, and an ensuing Cornell error handed the win to Penn.
The Houston, Texas native has been a welcome addition to the team since she made her start last year, and her 128 total kills in Ivy play last season ranked second-highest on the team.
This season, Sulaimon already has 73 kills through seven matches against the Ancient Eight, so she is on track to smash last year's mark. Even more impressive is that she leads the team with 188 kills total, and she still has time to increase that count.
Despite volleyball’s tough season, Sulaimon has consistently starred for the Quakers. Penn fans should be excited to see what this week’s DP Sports Player of the Week will bring to the team in the coming years.
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