CORTLAND, N.Y. – Four Cortland players posted seven or more kills to lead a balanced attack as the Red Dragon women's volleyball team began SUNYAC play with a 25-22, 25-15, 25-17 win over visiting Oswego.
Cortland (6-1, 1-0 SUNYAC) is among the "others receiving votes" section of the latest Division III national poll. The Red Dragons were led offensively by
Zoe Staats (Buchanan/Hendrick Hudson) with eight kills and one error in 12 attempts for a .583 attack percentage.
Giovanna Rossi (Nichols/Tioga) finished with a career-high seven kills with one error in 13 attacks (.462), along with five digs,
Alexa Guedez (Rye/Rye Neck) had seven kills with one error in 14 swings (.429), and
Allie Sturgess (Stony Brook/Ward Melville) also recorded seven kills along with five digs and a team-high three blocks.
Meadow Wittman (Colden/Springville Griffith Institute) and
Ryan Hinshaw (Aurora, IL/Joliet Catholic Academy) had 13 and 12 assists, respectively.
Carly Haegele (Commack) led the squad with 11 digs, and Rossi, Haegele, Hinshaw and
Danielle Fisk (Honeoye Falls/Honeoye Falls-Lima) served two aces apiece.
Oswego (4-6, 0-1 SUNYAC) was led by Cara Simplicio and Sydney Chiffriller with seven kills each. McKenna Corbin rang up 22 assists and Grace Taylor served four aces.
Cortland finished the night with a .296 attack percentage while holding the Lakers to a .074 mark. The Red Dragons hit at a .304 clip in the first set, a .344 mark in the second and a .231 mark in the third.
Oswego rallied from a 21-15 deficit in the first set and was within 23-22 after back-to-back aces by Taylor. Cortland finished the set with kills by Rossi and Sturgess. Cortland steadily pulled away from a 10-8 lead in the second set. The third set was tied 10-10, and Cortland held a 20-16 lead before scoring five of the match's final six points, two on Haegele aces.
Cortland plays three matches this weekend at the Rochester tournament. The Red Dragons play at RIT Friday, while Saturday's action at St. John Fisher features matches versus Mount Union and the host Cardinals.
