CORTLAND, N.Y. – Host SUNY Cortland won two matches to advance to the championship pool during the opening day of the 25th annual Red Dragon Classic. Cortland posted 3-0 wins over both Buffalo State and Baptist Bible College and will be one of four teams in the championship round of the 12-team tournament.

Cortland will face Lebanon Valley College in the semifinals Saturday at 10 a.m., with the other semifinal featuring Fredonia St. versus Daemen College at noon. The winners will play for the tournament title Saturday at 4 p.m., while the losers meet for third place at 2 p.m.

Cortland (2-0) opened with a 25-21, 25-23, 25-18 victory over Buffalo State. Senior outside hitter Michelle Gaufman (Wantagh/MacArthur) paced the Red Dragons with 12 kills and was second on the team with nine digs. Sophomore middle hitter Sheena Asibey (Brentwood) recorded seven kills and four aces. Freshman setter Kristen Guercio (Smithtown/Smithtown East) finished with team bests of 11 digs and 30 assists and matched Asibey with four aces.

The Red Dragons then defeated Baptist Bible College 25-23, 25-18, 27-25 behind freshman outside hitter Katie Wick's (Cortland/Homer) eight kills and eight digs. Senior outside hitter Ariel Rakita (Lake Grove/Sachem) had five kills, 11 digs and three aces, sophomore middle hitter Kaitlyn Cooper (Rochester/Webster Schroeder) put down five kills and Gaufman totaled four kills and 11 digs. Guercio led the squad with 24 assists and Asibey registered three blocks and two aces.

Cortland has won 15 of the previous 24 Red Dragon Classics, including four straight from 2003-06. The Red Dragons have also finished second five times, including last fall.

25th ANNUAL CORTLAND RED DRAGON WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL CLASSIC
Friday-Saturday, September 4-5, 2009
Whitney T. Corey Gymnasium; SUNY Cortland; Cortland, N.Y.


FRIDAY'S RESULTS:

Pool A
Cortland def. Buffalo St. 3-0 (25-21, 25-23, 25-18)
Cortland def. Baptist Bible 3-0 (25-23, 25-18, 27-25)
Buffalo St. def. Baptist Bible 3-0 (25-23, 25-19, 25-15)

Pool B
Skidmore def. Fredonia 3-2 (26-24, 25-22, 18-25, 21-25, 16-14)
Fredonia def. Rochester 3-0 (25-22, 25-22, 25-21)
Rochester def. Skidmore 3-1 (25-19, 22-25, 25-18, 25-15)

Pool C
Nazareth def. Potsdam 3-0 (25-19, 25-20, 25-21)
Daemen def. Potsdam 3-0 (25-17, 25-17, 25-12)
Daemen def. Nazareth 3-0 (25-22, 26-24, 25-20)

Pool D
Clarkson def. Montclair St. 3-0 (25-21, 25-14, 25-18)
Lebanon Valley def. Montclair St. 3-0 (25-15, 25-12, 25-9)
Lebanon Valley def. Clarkson 3-1 (25-15, 25-15, 22-25, 25-11)


SATURDAY'S SCHEDULE:

Court 1 (Championship Pool)
10 a.m. – (A1) Cortland vs. (D1) Lebanon Valley
12 p.m. – (B1) Fredonia vs. (C1) Daemen
2 p.m. – A1/D1 loser vs. B1/C1 loser
4 p.m. – A1/D1 winner vs. B1/C1 winner (championship match)

Court 2
10 a.m. – (A2) Buffalo St. vs. (D2) Clarkson
12 p.m. – (B2) Skidmore vs. (C2) Nazareth
2 p.m. – A2/D2 loser vs. B2/C2 loser
4 p.m. – A2/D2 winner vs. B2/C2 winner

Court 3
10 a.m. – (A3) Baptist Bible vs. (D3) Montclair St.
12 p.m. – (B3) Rochester vs. (C3) Potsdam
2 p.m. – A3/D3 loser vs. B3/C3 loser
4 p.m. – A3/D3 winner vs. B3/C3 winner

NOTES:

* Three teams finished tied at 1-1 in Pool B. Based on the tiebreaker of percentage of sets won, Fredonia finished first (5-3), Skidmore was second (4-5) and Rochester was third (3-4).

* Cortland has won 15 of the previous 24 Red Dragon Classics, including four of the last six (2003-06). The Red Dragons have finished second five times, the last in 2008.

* Lebanon Valley returns to the championship round after finishing in third place last season (they also finished second in 2003 and 2005). They have participated in the tournament every year since 2002.

* Fredonia's best Red Dragon Classic finish was third place in 2001. The Blue Devils have played in the tournament every year since 1997.

* Daemen is making its first appearance at the Red Dragon Classic in 2009.