Ariel Rakita totaled nine kills, six digs and a team-high six aces in the win
11/6/2009
NEW PALTZ, N.Y. – Senior Michelle Gaufman (Wantagh/MacArthur) registered a team-high 13 kills and senior Ariel Rakita (Lake Grove/Sachem) added nine kills, six aces and six digs as Cortland defeated defending league champion Fredonia, 3-0, in the semifinal round of the SUNYAC women’s volleyball tournament. Set scores were 25-14, 27-25 and 27-25.
Cortland (25-11) will face host New Paltz in the championship match Saturday at 2 p.m. with an NCAA tournament automatic berth on the line. The Hawks swept Brockport in Friday’s first semifinal match. The Red Dragons will be playing in the finals for the 24th time in the 26-year history of the tournament. Cortland is seeking its 17th league title and its sixth in seven years.
Gaufman also finished the night with seven digs. Freshman Kristen Guercio (Smithtown/Smithtown East) tallied 38 assists, 12 digs and two blocks and sophomore Kaitlyn Cooper (Rochester/Webster Thomas) had seven kills. Sophomore Sheena Asibey (Brentwood) contributed six kills and three blocks, freshman Katie Wick (Cortland/Homer) recorded 11 digs and freshman Jenna Davies (Brewerton/Paul V. Moore) added three kills, two aces and three digs.
Fredonia, the SUNYAC Western Division champion, drops to 24-12 with the loss. New Paltz and Cortland finished first and second, respectively, in the SUNYAC Eastern Division and split their two matches – Cortland beat the Hawks, 3-1, in Oneonta and New Paltz beat the Red Dragons, 3-2, in Cortland. New Paltz (32-5) has won 30 of its last 31 matches, with the only loss in that stretch coming versus Cortland.