HOUGHTON, N.Y. - Cortland split two matches during the opening day of the Houghton College Highlander Invitational women's volleyball tournament with a 3-0 win over Utica College and a 3-1 loss to Hiram College of Ohio.

The Red Dragons (18-14) will close the tournament and the season Saturday with matches versus Houghton at 11 a.m. and Keuka College at 3 p.m.

Cortland started the day with a 25-17, 25-20, 25-9 win over Utica behind Valerie Fischer's (Williston Park/Mineola) 12 kills. She had just one error in 22 attempts for a .500 attack percentage. Nicole Silberer (Centereach) added eight kills and Amanda May (Baldwinsville/C.W. Baker) totaled six kills and a .375 attack percentage.

Sarah Piacentini (Webster/Webster Schroeder) finished with 28 assists and 11 digs and Alexandra Graff (Apex, NC) ended with 10 digs.

Nicole Herringshaw led Utica (6-27) with eight kills.

Hiram (17-7) defeated Cortland by set scores of 25-15, 25-18, 25-27, 25-20. The Terriers were paced by Marissa Jay with 25 kills with two errors in 46 attempts for a .500 attack percentage along with six blocks. Grace Wilson chipped in with 12 kills.

Cortland was led by Nicole Silberer's 15 kills and .317 attack percentage. Nadia Moore (Durham, NC/Durham School of the Arts) finished with seven kills and three blocks, Fischer had seven kills, and Courtney Silberer (Centereach) led the Red Dragons with eight blocks.

Piacentini handed out 33 assists and added 11 digs. Graff led the team with 19 digs and Samantha Czeczotka (Elwood/John H. Glenn) had 12 digs.