ALLENTOWN, PA. - Cortland dropped a pair of non-league matches to Pennsylvania schools as the Red Dragons lost 3-0 to Carnegie Mellon and 3-1 to Muhlenberg in matches hosted by Muhlenberg.

Cortland struggled early in the match with Carnegie Mellon and lost to the Tartans, 25-8, 25-22, 25-16. Gabby Amelio (Pine Bush) hit at a .800 clip (four kills, no errors in five attempts), Maya Owens (Nyack) had three blocks, and Amelio and Julia Lettrick (East Greenbush/Columbia) each served two of Cortland's four aces in the match. Sarah Jurgens led CMU (now 6-5) with 10 kills.

The Red Dragons won the opening set versus Muhlenberg, 25-22, but the Mules (9-3) came back to win the next three, 25-13, 25-21 and 25-21. Nadia Moore (Durham, NC/Durham School of the Arts) led Cortland with 13 kills and added 12 digs. Bridgette Moran (Massapequa Park/St. John the Baptist) had eight kills with no errors in 20 attempts (.400 attack percentage) and led the team with four blocks.

Amelio finished with 36 assists and 12 digs. Kiersten Cote (East Rockaway/Kellenberg Memorial) totaled seven kills and a team-high 18 digs and Malley Bowen (Owego/Tioga Central) added 17 digs. Kelly Tornetta and Madison Forrest led Muhlenberg with 12 and 11 kills, respectively, and Shannon Hubert had 45 assists.

Cortland trailed 21-20 in the first set but finished on a 5-1 run, including three kills by Cote. The Red Dragons were within 11-9 in the second set before the hosts pulled away. Cortland trailed 5-0 to start the third but eventually was within 17-16, but two errors moved the Muhlenberg lead to 19-16 and the margin remained at least two after that. The fourth set was tied 18-18 after a Caterina Mangogna (Manorville/Eastport-South Manor) ace, but the Mules scored six straight points to take command.

Cortland (4-7) begins SUNYAC play next Friday and Saturday at home as the Red Dragons serve as one of two sites for the opening weekend of league play. Cortland will face Fredonia at 5 p.m. Friday, Plattsburgh noon Saturday and New Paltz 5 p.m. Saturday. Brockport and Buffalo State will also compete at Cortland, but will not face the Red Dragons until later in the season.