Score: SUNY Cortland 3, Elmira College 0 (25-15, 25-21, 25-22)
Records: Elmira (8-13), Cortland (9-14)
Location: Speidel Gymnasium – Elmira, N.Y.
ELMIRA, N.Y. -- The Elmira College women's volleyball team dropped a hard-fought three-set battle to non-conference foe SUNY Cortland inside of Speidel Gymnasium on Wednesday evening.
Tiara John '19 and
Savannah Terry '21 each finished with 10 kills apiece to lead EC's offense on a night when the Soaring Eagles struggled to find their attacking rhythm.
Taylor Kaznowski '19 posted a match-high 28 assists, but it wasn't enough against the Red Dragons. Cortland was led by Nicole Van Pelt, who finished with a match-high 13 kills.
The Red Dragons came flying out of the gates in the opening set, jumping out to an early 8-1 lead. EC couldn't gain any traction as Cortland ran away with the opener 25-11. The second set was a back-and-forth affair as the Soaring Eagles established themselves offensively. The score was knotted on 11 separate occasions throughout the set as the momentum swung between the two sides. A kill from John put the Purple and Gold up 12-10, but the Red Dragons were able to regain the advantage at 14-13 following an attacking miscue by the Soaring Eagles. A 5-0 run from Cortland broke the set open as the Red Dragons held their advantage earning a 25-21 victory.
After a hotly contested start to the final stanza, a kill from Terry and an error from Cortland knotted the score at 9-9. The Red Dragons surged ahead on the heels of a 4-0 run that was halted by a kill from John. Cortland built a 21-13 lead, but the Soaring Eagles battled back behind a 6-0 run.
Kasey Campbell '19 spurred the momentum swing with a pair of aces while Terry added a pair of kills. Cortland edged ahead with the score at 24-20, but a huge block from Terry and
Lydia Milligan '21 and a misfire from the Red Dragons forced the visitors into a timeout. Unfortunately, Elmira couldn't complete the comeback attempt, as Cortland won the final set, 25-22.
News and Notes
- Terry's tallied double-digit kills for the fourth time this season.
- Three Soaring Eagles finished with double-digit digs; Natalie Schieder '19 (10), Campbell (11) and Kaznowski (11).
- Campbell's four service aces tied her season high.
Up Next
The Soaring Eagles are back in action on Friday, October 12 when they head to Rochester, New York, for the two-day RIT Invitational. EC starts the tournament on Friday with a 7:00 p.m. showdown against Buffalo State.
