UNION, N.J. – Cortland split two matches in a tri-match format at Kean University, defeating the host Cougars in four sets before falling in four sets to New York University.  
In each match, the team that lost the first set came back to win the next three sets. Cortland beat Kean, 22-25, 25-22, 25-23, 25-19, while NYU defeated Cortland, 17-25, 25-19, 25-18, 25-18. 
 
Cortland (5-2) will begin SUNYAC play on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Oswego. 
 
Hannah Southcott (Princeton, WV) led Cortland versus Kean with a career-high 22 kills and only three errors in 53 attempts for a .358 attack percentage. She also had 17 digs. Nicole Van Pelt (Montgomery/Valley Central) also posted a career best with 20 kills compared to only three errors in 44 attempts for a .386 attack percentage. Maya Owens (Nyack) chipped in with six kills and a .312 attack percentage in 16 attempts and had two blocks. Cortland finished with a .273 attack percentage as a team, including a .333 in the first set and a .324 in the third set. 
 
Meadow Wittman (Colden/Springville Griffith Institute) finished with a career-best 32 assists and added eight digs. Ryan Hinshaw (Aurora, IL/Joliet Catholic Academy) dished out 15 assists, Carly Haegele (Commack) led the Red Dragons with 21 digs, and Alexa Guedez (Rye/Rye Neck) totaled four blocks. 
 
Ashley Smith led Kean, which dropped to 2-3 with the loss, with 18 kills. Kayla Thornton contributed 13 kills and Kylie Brua had 37 assists. 
 
Cortland trailed 22-19 in the second set but scored the final six points, the last five on Southcott kills. The Red Dragons also trailed 23-22 in the third before winning on a service error and two Van Pelt kills. The fourth set was tied at 16 before Cortland finished on a 9-3 run to end the match. Van Pelt had three kills and Southcott two during that run. 
 
Southcott rang up 12 kills and Van Pelt had nine kills in the loss to NYU. Wittman and Hinshaw finished with 16 and 12 assists, respectively, and Haegele led the squad with 20 digs. Haley Holz had 17 kills and Abby Ausmus, Ella Spaethling and Ella Weider had nine kills each for the Violets, who improved to 5-0 with the win. 
 
Cortland won the first set after finishing on a 10-2 run to break a 15-all tie. NYU turned an 11-10 score into a 17-11 advantage in the second set and wasn't threatened after that. In the third set the Violets went up 8-3 early and extended the lead to 16-7. Cortland got back to within three at 18-15 but managed only three points the rest of the set. The Red Dragons trailed by only one, 16-15, in the fourth set before six straight NYU points helped clinch the set and the match.