ROCHESTER, NY – The Buffalo State women's volleyball team outlasted the SUNY Geneseo Knights, 3-2, in a hard-fought battle to open day one of the Rochester Tournament.

GAME BASICS

FINAL SCORE: Buffalo State - 3, SUNY Geneseo - 2
SET SCORES: (25-27, 25-17, 25-17, 19-25, 15-11)
LOCATION: Louis Alexander Palestra – Rochester, NY
RECORDS: Buffalo State: (3-6, 0-0 SUNYAC), SUNY Geneseo: (3-5, 0-0 Empire 8)

INSIDE THE BENGAL BOX SCORE

• Ella Wittman (Cheektowaga, NY/Springville Griffith) led the Bengals' attack with a match-high 20 kills, tying for the most by either team. Anel Acosta (North Tonawanda, NY/North Tonawanda) added a strong offensive showing with 15 kills of her own.
• April Jakubowski (Lancaster, NY/Lancaster) directed the offense, dishing out a team-leading 26 assists, while Karlie Shaffer (Smithtown, NY/Smithtown East) contributed 14 assists to keep the attack balanced.
• Defensively, Hailey Kulniszewski (Elma, NY/Iroquois) led the Bengals with a match-high 21 digs. Jakubowski added 18 digs, while Wittman chipped in 17 digs for a well-rounded performance. Reagan Schneider (Corfu, NY/Pembroke) and Delia Lake (Buffalo, NY/Kenmore West) provided a strong presence at the net, recording two blocks apiece.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Opening day one of the Rochester Tournament, the Bengals aimed to set the tone with a tense battle against the SUNY Geneseo Knights. The first set was a back-and-forth affair, as both teams traded points early. A three-point rally by the Knights gave them the edge, but the Bengals stormed back with a five-point run to even things up. Deadlocked at 24, the Bengals looked to steal the opening set, but the Knights held firm and narrowly claimed the set.
• The Bengals responded with authority in the second set, opening with a dominant nine-point run. Though the Knights answered with a six-point rally of their own, the Bengals never looked back, controlling the pace and closing out the set in convincing fashion.
• The third set followed a similar script, with the Bengals taking control behind a four-point run. Geneseo attempted to claw back, but the Bengals stayed composed, using a late three-point rally before closing the frame with back-to-back points to take a 2-1 match lead.
• The Knights regrouped in the fourth set, jumping out to an early advantage with strong, aggressive play. The Bengals cut the deficit with a four-point rally, but the Knights flipped the momentum once again, stringing together a late four-point run and finishing with three straight points to force a decisive fifth set.
• In the winner-take-all final set, the teams once again went point for point early, refusing to give an inch. Then, the Bengals broke through with five straight points to build the cushion they needed. The Knights made a late push, but the Bengals held their ground and closed out the match, earning a thrilling five-set victory to open tournament play.

FOR THE FOES

• Kathyrn Barba led the Knights with 20 kills.
• Carolyn Mack dished out 27 assists to lead the Knights' offense, while Zooey Gagnier led the defense with a team-high 20 digs.

UP NEXT
The Bengals return for day two of the Rochester Tournament tomorrow, taking on Wheaton College at 11:00 A.M. before facing Keuka College at 1:00 P.M.