ELMIRA, N.Y. - Amanda May (Baldwinsville/C.W. Baker) led Cortland with 12 kills and six blocks as the Red Dragons defeated Elmira College in four sets to open play at the Elmira Invitational. The Red Dragons (13-11) defeated the Soaring Eagles 25-15, 16-25, 25-17, 25-23.

Cortland finishes the tournament Saturday with matches versus Lycoming College (Pa.) at 10 a.m. and Hunter College at noon.

May finished with a .346 attack percentage (12 kills, three errors in 26 attempt). Valerie Fischer (Williston Park/Mineola) ended with eight kills and 15 digs, while Courtney Silberer (Centereach) and Nicole Silberer (Centereach) each totaled seven kills. Courtney also had four blocks and Nicole finished with three blocks.

Sarah Piacentini (Webster/Webster Schroeder) ended the match with 31 assists and 10 digs and Alexandra Graff (Apex, NC) had 16 digs from her libero position. Samantha Czeczotka (Elwood/John H. Glenn) served seven of Cortland's 11 aces and also had seven digs.

Natalie Schieder led Elmira (4-9) with with 19 kills and Taylor Kaznowski had 26 assists.

Cortland used a 9-0 run in the first set during Czeczotka's serve to extend a 14-11 lead to 23-11. Czeczotka recorded four of her seven aces in that stretch. Elmira pulled away from a 7-7 tie in the second set with a 12-0 run, including five McKenzie Slaven aces, on its way to the 25-16 win.

Cortland trailed 12-7 in the third set, but slowly clawed back and eventually took a 15-14 lead on a block by May and N. Silberer. The Red Dragons were clinging to a 19-17 lead before rattling off the final six points, the last on a block by Piacentini and May.

Elmira led 14-11 and 17-15 in the fourth set in an attempt to even things, but Cortland scored four straight to take a 19-17 lead. The Soaring Eagles tied the set at 19-19 and were still within a point twice at 23-22 and 24-23, but an error by the hosts ended the set and the match.