SCRANTON, PA. - Cortland split two matches during Day 2 of the University of Scranton Women's Volleyball Invitational on Saturday, defeating Middlebury in four sets before losing to the host Royals, also in four sets. Cortland (5-4) defeated Middlebury 27-25, 25-23, 19-25, 25-19, while Scranton beat the Red Dragons 25-21, 12-25, 25-19, 25-23.
 
Kira Pirrera (Hauppauge/Smithtown West) recorded 19 kills and 13 digs and Emalee Ballou (Eden) totaled 14 kills, a .265 attack percentage and seven digs versus Middlebury. Erica Arroyo (Nesconset/Smithtown West) ended with six kills and one error in 19 attempts (.263), Alyssa Rich (Rochester/Churchville-Chili) had team highs of 19 digs and three aces, Anna Lynch (Rochester/Our Lady of Mercy) posted six blocks, two solo, and Samantha Rodriguez (Camarillo, CA/Adolfo Camarillo) dished out 27 assists.
 
Middlebury (4-3) was led by Molly Harrison with 14 kills and Gabby Pribisich and Caroline Byrne with 11 kills each. Campbell Bartley finished with 48 assists.
 
The first set was tied 10 times and featured five lead changes. Cortland led 22-16 and 24-21 before the Panthers rallied to tie the score. Cortland eventually scored the set's final two points on kills by Pirrera and Ballou to win, 27-25. The Red Dragons also won a tight second set that included 13 ties and five lead changes. Tied at 23-23, Cortland won the set with a Ballou kill and a Middlebury error.
 
Middlebury scored the last three points to win the fourth set, 25-19, and Cortland built a 19-10 lead in the fourth and won going away.
 
Against Scranton, Ballou posted 15 kills and Pirrera had 13 kills. Pirrera led the team with 18 digs and RIch had 15 digs. Lily Coan (Sayville) served three aces and Rodriguez again led the Red Dragons with 27 assists. Deanna Whelpley paced Scranton (5-4) with 11 kills and Cammi Quirk had 34 assists.
 
Scranton outlasted Cortland in the first set, 25-21, after 11 ties and six lead changes. Cortland easily won the second set, and Scranton took control in the third with a 5-0 run to go up 21-14 on the way to a 25-19 win. The fourth set was tied seven times, the last at 22-22, before Scranton scored two points to go up 24-22. Cortland fought off one match point on a Scranton error before Danielle Kramer's kill gave the Royals the win.