ELMIRA, N.Y. – The Elmira College women's volleyball program opened its 2024-24 season on Friday inside Speidel Gymnasium as the Soaring Eagles dropped a pair of contests on the opening day of the Elmira Fall Quad Invitational. EC would fall to Smith College in the first match 3-0 followed by a 3-0 defeat against SUNY Canton in the nightcap.
 
JUST THE BASICS (Match 1):
SCORE: Elmira 0, Smith College 3
LOCATION: Elmira, N.Y. | Speidel Gymnasium
TEAM RECORDS: Elmira (0-1, 0-0 Empire 8), Smith (2-0, 0-0 NEWMAC)
 
JUST THE BASICS (Match 2):
SCORE: Elmira 0, SUNY Canton 3
LOCATION: Elmira, N.Y. | Speidel Gymnasium
TEAM RECORDS: Elmira (0-2, 0-0 Empire 8), SUNY Canton (1-0, 0-0 SUNYAC)
 

HOW IT HAPPENED (ELMIRA vs. SMITH):

• The Soaring Eagles rallied from an early deficit in the first set as a 5-0 run erased an 11-6 advantage for Smith. Gabriela Rodriguez '26 notched a pair of service aces during the run for the Purple & Gold, while Makenna Clark '25 and Kayla Neer '25 both added kills.
• Trailing in the opening set 14-13, an attacking error by the Pioneers knotted the score 14-14 before Clark followed with three consecutive services aces for the Purple & Gold to make it 17-14.
• Smith would close the opening set with an 11-1 run to secure a 25-18 victory and take a 1-0 lead in the match.
• Clark would pace Elmira in the second set as she recorded three kills, while Morgan Richardson '25 added a pair of kills. Also, for the Soaring Eagles, Rodriguez recorded a pair of service aces as Smith captured the second set 25-16.
• In the third set, Madi Conti '28 notched a kill to go along with an assist for the Purple & Gold. Conti also notched a pair of block assists in the match's final set for Elmira.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED (ELMIRA vs. SUNY CANTON):

• It would be Conti who notched three kills in the opening set against the Roos as both teams traded the lead early. Elmira would trim the deficit to 10-7 following a kill from Asia Curkendall '26 followed by a block from Clark and Morgan Sica '28.
• Richardson and Sica both provided back-to-back kills late in the first set before the Roos notched the deciding point to take a 1-0 lead in the match.
• Midway through the second set, the Soaring Eagles would go on a 4-1 run as Curkendall and Clark highlighted the run with a pair of kills. EC rallied again later in the set as Conti and Richardson combined for four kills.
• In the third set, Sica notched a solo block for the Purple & Gold while Olivia Roccabruna '27 recorded a kill later in the set for EC.

 
UP NEXT:
The Soaring Eagles return to the court for day two of the Elmira Fall Quad Invitational on Saturday with matches against Alfred State and Smith College beginning at 11:00 A.M. inside Speidel Gymnasium.