NEWPORT NEWS, VA. – Cortland tied for third place out of seven teams at the Christopher Newport Invitational with a 2-2 record, including a 1-1 record during Saturday's second day of competition. The nationally 16th-ranked Red Dragons, who conclude the regular season with a 31-5 record, defeated Virginia Wesleyan in three sets before losing a five-set thriller to fourth-ranked Christopher Newport.
Christopher Newport (33-2) won the tournament with a 4-0 record and has won 25 straight matches. The Captains were the 2011 NCAA Div. III runner-up in a tournament run that featured a four-set win over Cortland in the national quarterfinals. Salisbury finished second at 3-1, with Cortland, Moravian and Averett tying for third with 2-2 marks. Lynchburg was 1-3 and Virginia Wesleyan finished 0-4.
Cortland freshman
Kim Givelechian (Roslyn Heights/Herricks) and junior
Aubrey Barrett (Liverpool) were named to the all-tournament team. The Red Dragons will look to win their third straight SUNYAC title when they play in the conference tournament semifinals Saturday, Nov. 3, at 6 p.m. against an opponent to be determined. Buffalo State will be hosting the tournament Nov. 3-5.
Cortland opened play Saturday with a 25-22, 25-21, 25-17 win over Virginia Wesleyan (19-11). Barrett led the attack with 14 kills and added five digs and two blocks. Senior
Ashley Coyle (Mt. Hope/Minisink Valley) finished with 12 kills and nine digs and Givelechian had eight kills, 11 digs and two blocks.
Senior
Kristen Guercio (Smithtown/Smithtown East) totaled 36 assists, two aces and seven digs, senior
Natalie Zacpal (Islip) recorded seven kills and three blocks and junior
Ava Hintz (East Aurora) added five kills. Junior
Krissy Silk (Massapequa Park/Massapequa) chipped in with 11 digs.
In their tournament finale, the Red Dragons lost the opening set to Christopher Newport, 30-28, then won the next two sets, 25-23 and 25-14. CNU rebounded to win the fourth set, 25-20, then edged the Red Dragons in the fifth set, 15-12.
Cortland had four players with double-figure kills, led by Hintz's 18 kills along with two blocks. Zacpal recorded 15 kills and five blocks, Coyle totaled 14 kills and 19 digs and Givelechian had 11 kills and 16 digs. Guercio registered 56 assists and 16 digs, Silk finished with 16 digs and Barrett added four kills, nine digs and three blocks.
Coyle now ranks second in school history with 1,756 career kills. The school record is 1,822 kills by Michelle Gaufman from 2006-09.
