ITHACA, N.Y. – Senior
Aubrey Barrett (Liverpool) and junior
Kelly Knauerhase (Cortland) each recorded 11 kills and senior
Ava Hintz (East Aurora) had 10 kills as Cortland swept host Ithaca College in a non-conference women's volleyball match. The Red Dragons won by scores of 25-15, 25-22 and 25-22 and are now 11-12 on the season.
Barrett committed only one error in 17 attempts and finished with a .588 attack percentage. She also registered 11 digs. Knauerhase ended with a .250 attack percentage (four errors, 28 attempts) and Hintz had a .421 attack percentage with two errors in 19 attempts.
Freshman
Liz Roberts (Island Park/West Hempstead) tallied 40 assists for a 13.3 assist per set average. Freshman
Samantha Czeczotka (Elwood/John H. Glenn) added six kills, seven digs and two blocks and junior
Mary Kelly (Guilderland) totaled five kills and a team-high three blocks. Senior
Krissy Silk (Massapequa Park/Massapequa) led the team with 14 digs.
Ithaca (8-16) was led by Grace Chang and Shaelynn Schmidt with nine kills each. Molly Brown dished out 24 assists and Siobhan Sorensen had three blocks.
Cortland led 9-3 to start the first set and held at least a four-point lead the rest of the way. Up 20-15, the Red Dragons scored the final five points on a Czeczotka kill, a block by Barrett and Kelly, a Barrett kill, an Ithaca error, and another Barrett kill.
Cortland used a 5-0 run to take an early 10-5 lead in the second set. The lead grew to 17-8 after two Barrett kills, but Ithaca rallied to get within three at 21-18. The Bombers eventually were within one at 23-22 after a Brown kill, but Cortland finished the set with a Kelly kill and an Ithaca attack error.
The third set was tied 11 times, the last at 21-21 after a kill by Schmidt. A Czeczotka kill put Cortland up 22-21, followed by an Ithaca error. A Cortland error allowed the hosts to draw back within one, but the Red Dragons closed out the set and the match on kills by Hintz and Knauerhase.
Cortland will compete in SUNYAC play Friday and Saturday at SUNY Potsdam. The Red Dragons will face Plattsburgh Friday at 5 p.m., Geneseo Saturday at 10 a.m. and Fredonia Saturday at 12:30 p.m. Cortland is currently fourth in the league with a 2-1 record, one game behind New Paltz, Buffalo State and Potsdam.
