Cortland Defeats Elmira and Ithaca on Day 1 of Hunter Invitational

NEW YORK CITY – The Cortland women's volleyball team, ranked 19th nationally in Division III, opened the Hunter College Invitational with two victories over in-state foes. The Red Dragons, now 35-1 on the season, defeated Elmira in four sets, 25-15, 16-25, 25-17, 25-22, and swept Ithaca, 25-13, 25-21, 25-14.

Cortland and Ramapo are each 2-0 after the first day of the five-team tournament. The Red Dragons and the Roadrunners, who are now 26-4 after posting wins versus Hunter and Ithaca, will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday. Cortland concludes the tournament versus Hunter at noon.

Senior Kaitlyn Cooper (Webster/Webster Schroeder) led Cortland versus Elmira with 14 kills and also totaled four blocks. Senior Sheena Asibey (Brentwood) finished with 10 kills and five blocks and junior Katie Wick (Cortland/Homer) had nine kills.

Senior Ashley Coyle (Mt. Hope/Minisink Valley) and sophomore Aubrey Barrett (Liverpool) recorded seven kills apiece. Coyle also had six aces and 20 digs and Barrett led the team with six blocks. Junior Kristen Guercio (Smithtown/Smithtown East) had 45 assists and senior Jaclyn Lawrence (Marilla/Iroquois Central) posted a team-best 26 digs.

Barrett led Cortland in the Ithaca match with eight kills and four blocks. Coyle and Cooper each put down seven kills and Asibey registered six kills. Cooper tied Barrett with four blocks and Coyle added two aces and nine digs.

Guercio finished with 30 assists and eight digs. She is now tied for third with Jamie McMullen (2000-04) on the Cortland career charts with 4,251 assists. Brittney Horton (2005-08) is the school record holder with 4,892 assists, followed by Adriane Battaglioli (1995-98) with 4,326.