CORTLAND, N.Y. – The Cortland women's volleyball team opened its 2018 campaign by splitting two matches during Day 1 of its own 12-team Red Dragon Classic. Cortland defeated D'Youville College in four sets before losing to Keene State in a five-set thriller.

Cortland continues action Saturday with matches versus Rowan at 10 a.m. and Nazareth at 3 p.m. Rowan and Nazareth are currently both 2-0 in the tournament, as are Keene State and Rochester. Cortland is joined by Wells, Fredonia and Stockton at 1-1, while Oneonta, D'Youville, Houghton and Lebanon Valley are each 0-2.

In Friday's opening match, Cortland rallied after dropping the first set to defeat D'Youville, 22-25, 25-10, 25-10, 25-18. Junior Nadia Moore (Durham, NC/Durham School of the Arts) led the Red Dragons with a career-high 20 kills while committing just one error in 43 attempts. She also recorded 16 digs.

Sophomore Bridgette Moran (Massapequa Park/St. John the Baptist) added 12 kills with just two errors in 22 attempts and sophomore Kiersten Cote (East Rockaway/Kellenberg Memorial) finished with 11 kills and 16 digs. Junior Gabby Amelio (Pine Bush) paced the Red Dragons with 38 assists, 28 digs and three aces.

Cortland won the opening set versus Keene State, 25-18, but lost the next two sets, 26-24 and 25-15. The Red Dragons bounced back for a 25-19 win in the fourth, but the visiting Owls scratched out the victory with a 15-13 decision in the fifth.

Moore totaled nine kills, nine digs and four aces, while Moran, Amelio and sophomore Rachael Colombo (Wallkill) finished with eight kills apiece. Junior Gabby Fernandes (Islip) led the team with 17 digs and five aces, followed by Cote with 15 digs. Amelio dished out 32 assists, Moran put down a team-best six blocks, and junior Emilee Chiavetta (Angola/Immaculata) served three aces.

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